L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Weed out the black sheep among cops

The thoughtful and very sensible editorial echoes the sentiments of the common people of the region about Sarita’s rape and suicide in Rohtak (“Rape of justice”, June 11). She ran from pillar to post for two months for justice. Having got deeply disillusioned with the insensitivity and callousness of the police officers, she decided to end her life whereas the rapists continued threatening her to keep her mouth shut.

It is heart rending to read in newspapers that Sarita was asked for a bribe of Rs 6,000 to get her husband released from jail and when she expressed her inability to make the payment, her womanhood was abused. If the constables behave in this shameless manner, who will dare visit the police stations in future? The reports of different police reforms commissions, including the Dharam Vira Report, should be re-examined.

RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

II

Such misdeeds are slaps on the face of our leaders who daily shout heroics. The police agency thrives at the cost of the taxpayers to enforce the law of the land. However, they take a free run and wreck the same, slide down the abyss, fouling the ambience.

What ails the police force and why is there a steep degeneration relentless? The needle of suspicion necessarily points to the following few facts. May be, some of them have become footballs of degraded politicians. Wrong selection by questionable members of recruiting agencies is another. The training institutions’ deterioration affects the training of the recruits. When training is benighted, the stuff that passes out lacks mental balance. Otherwise, why should they become figures of widespread odium? Undercurrents surging below surface, shape and minds.

Way back, a Haryana DGP, who sexually abused his daughter’s friend, was in the dock for years and the case seems to be lost in oblivion with time. However, it would be wrong to paint the entire body black for the misdeeds of a couple of black sheep. NGOs and women’s bodies need to channelise their energy to bring under scanner, isolate and expose the sex vampires in khaki against whom the law should strike with full might.

V.I.K. SHARMA, IAS (retd), Jalandhar

III

I am happy that the two Haryana policemen guilty of raping a hapless woman have been dismissed from service and put behind bars. Hopefully they will be prosecuted too. But the action has come only after Sarita committed suicide, that too, in front of the DGP’s office to attract attention to the state’s indifference to her plight.

The action came too late and after the victim’s supreme sacrifice. Why can’t the superior officers of the police department and the government be more sensitive to the crimes against women? What a pity that most policemen work very hard but a few black sheep amongst them wipe out all the good work done by most of them. It is time to reflect on this issue and take remedial measures.

R.J. KHURANA, Bhopal

Letter-box, please

The postal authorities should provide at least a letter-box, if not a sub-post office, at HUDA Market, Sector 13, Kurukshetra. The market place has all the facilities like payment of water, electric and BSNL bills, HUDA, country and town planning and banking services and cell phone counters.

There are sub-post offices at Mohan Nagar and judicial complex, but one has to hire a rickshaw for Rs 20 to post a letter or buy a stamp there! A postal counter or SPO at HUDA Market has become imperative for the residents.

ANIL SHARMA, Kurukshetra

Undemocratic practice The Punjab Education Board should stop the undemocratic practice of mentioning in the detailed marks list the name of the school in which the candidate has studied or through which he/she has passed. Otherwise, those studying in ordinary rural schools are put to a lot of disadvantage during interviews for jobs or admission to higher class. If the Adarsh School scheme comes into being, students will make a concourse to these schools and only men of means and influence will succeed. The aam admi shall be compelled to put his son/ daughter in the ordinary school. The examiners’ mindset is also such that marks will be awarded to the candidate not on the basis of his performance but his school of study. This practice should be scrapped forthwith. If the government is keen on improving the quality of education, it should equip every school with good infrastructure and facilities, pay salaries to teachers regularly, make attendance compulsory, eliminate copying and have manageable, not unwieldy, courses. SUSHIL BANDOPADHYA, Ludhiana