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Onus on cops for Sarita’s suicide

Sarita’s suicide at the Haryana Police headquarters in Panchkula exposes the sorry state of affairs in the state police. The Punjab and Haryana High Court should order sealing of the Police Headquarters for a week and compel the criminals in khaki to submit what shake up they are going to do after the horrendous incident. It should also fine the Haryana government and police department to the tune of Rs 10 crore as exemplary damages for the heinous crime since the government recruited the culprits.

The situation in other departments is no better — Revenue, Sales Tax, PWD, Transport, Co-operative departments are all corrupt to the core and the staff take bribes for any small job they do. The only difference is that two policemen raped a women in their premises and made her to die in their headquarters whereas in other departments, the staff rape the rules and entrepreneurship in broad daylight and then are seen in the company of politicians and ministers.

It is time people send a strong message to the state government. In fact, we need much less of the government staff to serve us. People should fight for reduction of taxes and government jobs. A government job only breeds demons like those responsible for Sarita’s suicide.

SURINDER KUMAR GARG, Chandigarh

REEMA GUPTA, Panchkula

III

It is surprising why the FIR was not registered in the first place. There have been incidents before and there will be no change in the position as long as the system remains as such. The law is clear. The police, without seeing the correctness or otherwise of the report, are duty-bound to register the FIR. Non-registration gives rise to a host of problems which the already overburdened system can’t cope with.

Not long ago, the Supreme Court ruled that non-registration of FIR will be treated as contempt. Unless the law is amended, providing for summary dismissal of the police officer for non-registration of a case, the police will continue to refuse registration of cases.

S.M. KATWAL, Una (HP)

IV

The editorial, “Rape of justice” (June 11) paints the true picture of police administration today. The police need to be given maximum punishment for the shameful and ghastly act.

Some corrective measures have become imperative following the Sarita incident. First, no person should be arrested by a constable without the written order of the SP or an equivalent officer. Second, the enclosure for police custody should be in the main jail and not in the police station premises. This will reduce any mischief on the part of the policemen.

Third, policemen should be duly rewarded for good conduct and services. And four, stern action must be taken against those committing serious crimes, the minimum being suspension from service.

KHAZAN SINGH, Kapurthala

V

All officers against whom Sarita had been crying for action must be dismissed from service and prosecuted for abetment of suicide. The state government should order a CBI inquiry for a fair and impartial inquiry.

The police must be barred from holding inquiries against guilty policemen through police officials. What will the DSP inquiring into this sordid affair do except to find a pin in a haystack and absolve the guilty policemen? Name even one police inquiry where the guilty has not been let off to commit more crimes.

As for the Sarita episode, the DGP has no moral right to continue in his post anymore. Sadly, every policeman is shamelessly busy protecting his fellow colleagues. For an impartial inquiry against the guilty policemen, at least two NGOs should be associated with the probe panel.

SURAJ PARKASH, Chandigarh

VI

The Sarita episode highlights one more case of police cruelty. The incident raises serious questions on the slogan of our police force: Seva suraksha sahyog. Is this the kind of service, security and cooperation extended by our police forces to the citizens? Indeed it was a shameful act on the part of our law enforcing agency.

If such incidents are allowed to happen, the day is not far off when the citizens would be forced to take the law into their hands. This is already happening in some North-Eastern states where the armed forces have been perpetrating human rights violations on innocent residents in the name of maintaining law and order. The Hooda government should immediately initiate steps to prevent such incidents before the situation gets out of control.

SANJEEV SHARMA, Ambala City