Reform Police Station

The Tribune     21st October 2020     Save    

Context: Incidents of brutality, illegality, insensitivity, custodial violence and corruption points towards poor functioning of police stations.

Recent Incidents of incompetence and connivance of Police force

  • Hathras rape and murder case
  • Police encounter of the alleged accused in a rape case in Hyderabad.
  • The custodial killing of a father-son duo of shopkeepers in Tamil Nadu.
  • The killing of priests in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Issues with Police Stations in India

  • Improper police infrastructure: of more than 20,000 police stations and police posts in India. 
  • The sanctioned strength is too low: as compared to the need in many police stations. 
    • The number of civil police sanctioned is 140 per lakh, but the actual strength is 102.
    • There are about 50% vacancies in the police department
  • Lack of basic facilities at police stations: According to the Bureau of Police Research and Development
    • 188 police stations have only a single vehicle, 402 lack telephone lines, 134 don't have wireless sets, and 34 have neither a phone nor a wireless set.
  • Overburdened policemen: with no rest or weekly off are unable to take the investigation in an efficient way without forensic support. (Police are guarding about 47,000 VIPs!)
  • Poor amenities: 
    • No government house: is allotted to the personnel and housing facilities for them are very poor. 
    • Lack of clean drinking water and toilets: especially for policewomen, in many police stations.
  • Decreased spending of the budget: about 4% of the total budget on an average.

Flawed Criminal Justice System

    • Huge pendency of cases: More than three crore cases are pending in courts due to problems in judicial procedures. For, E.g. In the Nirbhaya case, it took eight years to hang the accused. 
    • Political control of the judicial system: is continuing since the British Raj due to continuation of Police Act of 1861. 
      • They control the recruitment and neglect the training aspect.
      • They control the postings and transfers and bring prejudices in the functioning. 
  • Nexus between politicians, criminals and policemen is resulting in failure of police leadership.

Conclusion: Police stations must be given all they need, including the freedom to enforce the rule of law.