Asish Mehta
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 15: Cops of the Commissionerate Police were seen showing some rare grit and determination when they zeroed in on and arrested some dreaded criminals in two successive encounters in recent days. However, there are those who allege the ‘encounters’ were stage-managed by the policemen with a view to gaining additional credit and publicity.
Notorious criminal Bibhu Jena was among those arrested. He was critically injured in an encounter by CP March 8. He was admitted to Capital Hospital and later shifted to SCB Hospital in Cuttack. Earlier, March 3, police arrested two gunrunners following a shootout at Palasuni. One of the criminals injured in the incident was taken to SCB.
With allegations of fake encounters cropping up in the past too, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued guidelines to all states to report to it the facts about such police actions within 48 hours. In the past, a period of six months had been given to police to report details of encounters.
Human rights activists accused the CP of operating outside the law. Activists also alleged the police lacked sufficient ethical and professional standards, that they are overstretched and outmatched by criminal elements,
and are unable to cope with increasing public expectations.
A rights activist, talking on the Palasuni encounter of March 3, questioned the police’s claim that the criminals opened fire first forcing the cops to retaliate. “The encounter on the Cuttack-Puri bypass road put civilian lives in danger. Who would have taken the blame if any civilian was killed/injured in the crossfire? Was there a real need for opening fire,” asked rights activist Subash Mohapatra. He, however, has no real evidence to show that the encounter was stage-managed.
“According to the UN Human Rights principles, law enforcement officials should as far as possible apply non-violent means to arrest the accused, and use of force and firearms should be the last resort. They may use force and firearms only if other means are ineffective, but this is not always the case,” he said.
P Verma, a lawyer in Khurda district and sessions court said, “Police in our country have tremendous power as we have the British-era Indian Penal Act of 1861. Its abuse is not very uncommon. But to prove that encounters were unwarranted is not possible unless we give an ear to the criminals’ version.”
QAT officials said that the term ‘encounter’ was not to be used in respect of what happened in the latest two cases. “Technically, these were cases of ‘exchange of fire’,” they said. “We fire only at criminals’ legs, either to apprehend them or to immobilise them. We are mindful of the civilians’ safety aspect. When criminals open fire at us, we retaliate not only to save our lives but also to save the common man’s life,” the officials said.
They, however, didn’t give any details on whether they will hold any awareness classes for the security of the people during any such incidents. A retired IPS officer, who preferred anonymity, said if the police did not arrest criminals, people will criticise them, and when they do make an effort, rights activists slam them too. He also noted that the police intelligence was not robust. “If the police received real-time intelligence inputs, then they can apprehend the criminals from their hideouts and a situation of exchanging fire won’t arise,” he said.
