Shock and grief are wounds which are inflicted by people who are meant to protect their citizens. Yes, we are talking about Delhi Police, the custodians of law who are supposedly the pride of the national capital. Their slogan reads - with you for you always. But do they understand the true meaning of this phrase?
Delhi Police has been found to be wanting and on the wrong side of the law many a times; they have also been tainted by a series of controversies.
This was proven beyond doubt by a recent incident which brought to the fore the apathy with which the men in khaki treat the lesser mortals. An elderly gentleman was pushed and shoved by a police constable when he tried to stop the cop from beating his son near Dhaula Kuan area. The family was coming back home when their car broke down. What followed was no less than a nightmare. Their only fault was that they considered a policeman the right person to ask for water for their car. The deceased person’s so
n had little idea that seeking help from the policeman would result in a tragedy which the family would perhaps never recover from.
Instead of helping the family, the cop got into an unprovoked altercation with the man’s son and became violent with him. When the elderly gentleman intervened, the cop shoved him too after which he fell unconscious and suffered a cardiac-arrest leading to his death.
This behaviour and attitude is highly condemnable and the guilty should be given the strictest of punishments. He should not be spared at any cost because his attitude has led to an innocent person losing his life without any fault of his. It is unimaginable what the family must be going through. This brutal and shocking incident has once again shaken the faith of the citizens in the police force.
It’s a matter of utter shame that the callous and inhumane nature of Delhi Police has devastated a happy family. It is scary to think that approaching the police in need of hour can put you in more trouble rather than providing a solution to your problem.
In such situation, the big question which comes to my mind is what do we do with such policemen who rather than helping people, behave in such high-handed manner that it can result in the death of a senior citizen?
This side of Delhi Police is astounding – there is an urgent need to overhaul the whole system for the betterment of the society. Being the protectors of the people in the national capital, the least that is expected from them is a sensible behaviour. It is the basic right of the citizens to get all possible help from the police.
Another example of Delhi Police’s carelessness came to light when a chief security officer of a five- star hotel was assaulted by a group of 10-12 goons. Shockingly, a police PCR van didn’t bother to intervene after seeing the incident. I really wonder why the Delhi Police is tolerating such irresponsible people in their organization when they are good for nothing.
Rarely a day goes by in Delhi when there are no incidents of molestation, rape or harassment of women. Besides this, numerous complaints of robbery, snatching, murders, kidnapping, injustice, etc. are lodged everyday in police stations across the city.
From a small child to a senior citizen, no one can say that they feel secure because of Delhi Police.
Surprisingly, Delhi Police is the biggest metropolitan police in the world with 149 police stations and a fleet of around 386 PCR vans located at different points all over the capital. It is imperative that the law enforcement agency is imparted basic etiquettes so that their negligence does not become the reason of someone’s death.
Policemen should never forget that they are meant to provide protection to its citizens and they should strive to give their best under all circumstances so that people do not think twice or hesitate in approaching the police. They should refrain from abusing power and need to abide by their motto of ‘citizens first’.
Don’t forget - what can you expect from the citizens when you, the law-protectors are becoming law-breakers…
(The views expressed by the author are personal)