Editorial
Police rigours
These must be eased up
Policemen in general, particularly those in the lower ranks, have had long hours of duty, often stretching up to 14 hours under extremely pressured circumstances. During hartals and political agitation programmes it takes yet another dimension which entails risk to their lives. This harsh condition under which they are required to perform duties is already taking its toll. A most recent example is the death of a Lance Naik on duty during the last hartal by the 14 party opposition alliance. Prior to this incident two other police officers died due to stress leading to cardiac arrest in 2003 and 2004. The other effect of working under prevailing conditions is that the police while tackling widespread public agitation are not able to cope with a situation beyond a certain limited dimension and complexity. They are insufficiently trained in crowd control methods. This is not to condone any excesses committed by them but to say that the authorities must make sure that their nerves do not go taut through overwork. We very much hope that sooner than later the government and the relevant ministry should take urgent measures in streamlining and rationalising the working conditions of the policemen and police women leading to a marked improvement in their overall working environment. A few months back we were told that several thousand additional police personnel were being recruited, but unless the anomalies in the service conditions are removed and rectified this could even end up complicating matters further. Obviously, yet another cause for recently heightened stress for the police is the increased level of volatile political situation that often turns into mayhem and pitched battles between the police and public including picketers. Just as wrongful use of the police force must be shunned so also political violence should be curbed. Let every one be guided by sanity, reason, compassion and understanding, some of the key components of democratic practices anywhere in the world.
|
|
