NGO expresses concern over police brutality

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, NOV. 25. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a non-governmental organisation monitoring human rights in Commonwealth countries, has expressed serious concern over police brutalities in India.

The CHRI, which analysed media reports on police brutalities, said that in these cases police ``did not hesitate to use unnecessary and excessive force and torture against hapless persons in custody''.

It said that as per the National Human Rights Commission statistics, in 1999 alone there were 183 deaths in police custody, as against 193 in 1998. ``An important factor for increasing police lawlessness is the impunity enjoyed by them even in proven misdeeds''. The CHRI said ``probably no other factor has been responsible for tarnishing the image of police as much as their alleged involvement in incidents of brutality''.

The report says ``the phenomenon of police brutality is not new. As early as in 1902-03, the Indian Police Commission found the police in the country not only corrupt but also highly oppressive''.

Voicing its anguish, the CHRI says beating people mercilessly in custody during interrogation is the most common manifestation of police brutality. In some cases, particularly during interrogation of hardened criminals or suspected terrorists, highly brutal methods, like giving electric shocks or suspending the person from the ceiling and then beating at sensitive points are used.

The report says ``there is a general public perception that the victims of police brutality in most cases are poor, weak and marginalised people. The rich and powerful hardly face the wrath of police. Women, Dalits and adivasis have been found to be particularly vulnerable to abuse of power by police''. What is shocking, according to the report, is that ``even women police personnel are involved in incidents of police brutality''. The CHRI says ``there is a general feeling that the criminal justice system is virtually on the verge of collapse. This feeling is shared not only by the public and experts, but also by the functionaries of the criminal justice system''.

The CHRI has suggested imparting human rights training to police personnel; it must be treated as the core of the training programme for all ranks. There is a common perception amongst the police personnel that human rights are an encumbrance, an obstacle to effective policing. An important aim of the training programme should be to change this perception.

Giving reasons for the brutal behaviour of the police, the CHRI says that police personnel in the lower ranks are highly dissatisfied with their service conditions. They also feel that decisions regarding their postings, transfers, rewards, suspensions, dismissals and punishments are taken on extraneous considerations and are not always merit or justice-based.

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