The attempts of police to deploy local residents as community patrol squads to catch ‘black men’ and robbers have ended up in a mess in some parts of the district.
In two recent incidents, the squads – mostly comprising untrained local men – turned into vigilante groups and roughed up innocent persons.
In some village areas, some groups, carrying long sticks and other crude weapons, are operating without police permission. They are neither trained for patrol duties nor equipped to handle suspected persons in a healthy way. No beat officers or policemen under community policing are accompanying them, though the guidelines stipulate the police presence.
A journalist who recently faced a “midnight trial” by the squad said the mob psychology was quite terrifying as they were found ready to beat up anyone they came across during night hours in their residential area. They were not even bothering to verify the identity of the “suspects” before starting verbal and physical assaults.
In several areas, members of the patrol squads do not have identity cards.
The police said they would review the operation of the squads and adopt changes. Citing some of the recent incidents of netting robbers by the squads in rural areas, they claimed that the initiative was successful in providing a feeling of security to residents.