Transforming the Indian police

The suicide of a family of four allegedly due to police harassment in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh has brought to the fore once again the deep-rooted malaise within the department. The head of the family, an auto driver, had released a video, before taking the extreme step, explaining how he was humiliated. Based on prima facie evidence, two cops have been arrested and suspended. Incidents such as these have been happening over the years despite repeated efforts, both sincere and lackadaisical, to stop them. Is there no way to make the police department humane, responsible and professional?

In the case of Andhra Pradesh, to their credit, DGP Gautam Sawang and the government have focused on people-friendly policing and ample evidence of it was seen during the lockdown when the police went out of their way to help families affected by Covid-19. The department also won a lion’s share of the awards at the 67th SKOCH Summit in New Delhi recently for meritorious services. Similarly, the establishment of Disha police stations for protection of women was a step in the right direction. And yet, there have also been instances where the police exceeded their brief. It doesn’t require a Sherlock Holmes to diagnose the problem. Political interference, corruption and lack of character among some black sheep are at the root of it all. Besides these, the British Raj mentality of being the masters still runs deep, particularly among the lower rung of the force.

The measures initiated in the state are a good start, but to truly transform the department, police reforms must be implemented in letter and spirit. A recent report by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative found that no state is fully compliant with the Supreme Court verdict in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India case in 2006. Andhra Pradesh, which has partially complied with the apex court’s directives, is the only state to have constituted Police Complaints Authorities at both the state and district levels. Whether they are effective is anybody’s guess. Good intentions alone aren’t enough. Structural changes ought to be made properly if the police are to be a force for good.