Punjab Police: Encashing The ‘Khaki’ From Terrorism Days Till Today
24th November 2008
Drive by any deserted street of Punjab late night and a fear for safety is always at the back of your mind, but strange enough, the sight of a police gypsy or a couple of policemen on the round, is more worrisome if not fear evoking to many. Somehow, Punjab police and its men have over the years won a reputation that’s not so flattering at all and quite synonymous to fear, injustice and certainly not in over exaggeration - one of terror itself. Whether or not one is guilty of a crime, to meet their gaze, is best avoided. The reasons Punjab knows way to well. Since terrorism days till today, this ‘Khaki’ uniform is one that people of Punjab find difficult to trust.
You pick a list and the names of men from Punjab police figure in it, making it a matter of extreme shame and certainly not pride; for, the lists released are not those of excellence in any field, but those of rapists, murderers, fake currency racketeers and what not; you name them and Punjab police has them, amongst them.
In jaw dropping results obtained from a survey by TOI, it has been found that over 1398 Punjab police men ranging from the junior most constables to even a DGP are all engaged in unlawful criminal activities and worst still are using their uniform to get away with a clean chit.
One is shocked to know 3 DGPs, 1 ADGP, 3 IGPs, 19 SPs , 28 DSPs (8 of them serving) have managed to get their names enlisted amongst those accused of murder and an equal number of them figure amongst those accused of abduction and kidnapping.
From a push, a shove, a slap or a jolt, to remand, torture and finally the bullet, men of Punjab police are known to go to any length to get what they want. Be it free fruit from a street vendor or be it killing a person (guilty or not) in some fake terrorist encounter, they sure know how to encash their uniform and the power vested in it.
What more could prove this, than these astounding facts that are coming to light recently, bringing to the forefront the way Punjab police takes for granted, the government, law and most of all, the public.
We all remember the spine chilling times of terrorism and anti-Sikh riots in Punjab and the way hundreds of people were pulled out of their houses to be arrested and thrust into jails by the police in the name of law and order. Some returned and many did not, stamped and executed as terrorists, with no one to validate their innocence.
Nevertheless, the truth they say doesn’t remain hidden for long and the ghosts of the past are knocking at the doors of these ‘khaki’ clad men. With many cases of false encounters and mistaken identities for which rewards have long been claimed and digested by our policemen, coming out in the open today. It is actually shocking to learn that the real terrorists are alive and leading normal lives with changed identities while some unknown innocents got killed under the garb.
According to facts from the Punjab Human Rights Organizations (PHRO) around 300 people were killed in Punjab by the police during the terrorism days in the state.
What to talk of days gone by when even today police officials having cases of crime registered against them, are still holding office and are on active duty, regardless of what the law or constitution has to say on it. Not just that, the cases that get registered are just a small percentage of the crimes actually committed by these men.
How can one trust them then and allow them to be the custodians of our security when, it is them we need to guard against in the first place.
As speculations concerning the spark of terrorism reigniting in Punjab pick up pace again, the blame game of parties and politicians too has begun. Security and vigilance bureaus are being geared up, but are we really bothered to solve the problem or for that matter consider facing it? The police needs to curb the terror agencies among its own first, for as of now, the men clad in ‘Khaki’ are proving to be bigger terrorists than anyone else around.
Source: Live Punjab