Skip to content Skip to navigation

Lock down or lock up! Brimful misery for commoners

New Delhi: The nation wide lock down is more a reign of terror and less a measure to keep a virus at bay if a section of the observation of a country's legal fraternity is to be believed.

Be it in the case of police excess or the absence of essential commodities, the 21 days Pan India lock down seems to have been crushing the spine of millions of the people living in abject penury across the nation life never before. 

The worse has yet to come. This has forced a New Delhi based lawyer to write to the Chief Justice of India for immediate intervention before the situation goes from bad to worse.

Here is the letter of Gaurav Jain,  the lawyer, who has been relentlessly confronting with a set of  "anti people" policies, for the last couple of years. 

Gaurav Jain, lawyer
Gaurav Jain, lawyer 

---------------------------

To,
The Hon'ble Chief Justice of India,

I am Gaurav Jain, an Advocate enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi. And as an officer of the court, I consider it my duty to bring to your notice a grave Injustice happening at this very moment on such a massive scale that if left unchecked, it will grow so big and scary, that it will be extremely difficult to contain it later. It's only the 3rd day of the pan-India Lockdown and if we do not act now, more people will succumb to this evil than Corona Virus in the remaining 18 days.

The evil I am talking about is : Police Brutality.
In their over-enthusiasm to strictly enforce the "janta-curfew" and now pan-India Lock-down, police officers, of almost all states and UTs, are mercilessly beating people they find on the road without first asking - even once - the reason why they had to step out of their homes.

Many people, involved in the essential services have to bear the brunt of this callousness and heavy-handedness of the police. It so happens that most of these people are from the lower-middle class and the class below it.

Agreed that the lock-down has been declared by the PM to take on the COVID-19 Pandemic and it's important that everyone cooperates for it to succeed but that does not give Police the license to resort to such barbaric cruelty and unleash such shocking violence on people who may have very genuine and pressing reasons to be out.

By swinging its Lathi before even hearing the other person, the police may succeed in enforcing this lock-down but it will also succeed in demolishing the Rule of Law, the Principles of Natural Justice and people's fundamental right to live with dignity. I don't think you can ever let this happen.

And here's a basic question: what's the point of publicly beating, even killing, someone to 'save' him from Corona Virus? Reports are surfacing that a person from West Bengal has died after allegedly getting beaten up by the police. His crime : Stepping out of house to buy milk.

Hundreds of videos which are mushrooming on social media demonstrate the blood-curdling brutality of police being unleashed on ordinary people all over India. The intensity and scale of this violence is shocking, which cannot truly be described in words. And that's why I thought it wise to attach a small sample of videos with this mail so that you can see it yourself. (please find annexed Six Twitter video links)

What will truly shock the conscience of the court - it did shock mine - is the fearlessness and utter nonchalance with which these police officers are going about thrashing people. To do so in these times and age when there is a camera in every person's hand, one really needs to be completely convinced that there would be absolutely no consequence to one's actions.

While I certainly don't want a coward police force, I definitely want this much fear in their hearts that they know that if they commit a crime and that crime is captured on camera, they WILL have to face severe consequences; more severe than an ordinary person.

This 'virus' of violence has infected virtually all police forces across India, and the officers deployed on the ground are in 'serious condition'. There is a need to immediately sensitize them on what role they have to play as a responsible public servant, before they lose all perspective and cause irreparable loss of human-lives and state's credibility.

Therefore, I would request you to take suo-motu cognizance of this extremely critical matter. You are humbly requested to urgently issue strict orders/directions to the Home Minister of India, all Chief-Ministers and the DGPs/CPs of Police Forces of all the States/UTs to warn their officers on ground to immediately cease and desist from unnecessarily beating people in the streets and resorting to any cruelty during this lockdown period. They should also be sensitized about their role and explained the importance of kindness and empathy.

Sure, sometimes police is constrained to use force/violence but if found involved in any incident of brutality or unprovoked/disproportionate use of force, the officer will have to face steep financial as well penal consequences. I leave it to the wisdom of Your Honour to include things in the order so that a strong deterrence can be created for these errant officers who see a global emergency as an opportunity to unleash their evil side of personality.

So far, our judiciary has led India's fight against coronaVirus. And therefore I am extremely hopeful that you will, once again, come to the rescue of millions of innocent poor and middle class people who are not only up against a deadly virus but a brutally violent police force. Usually police is their first line of defense. But in this case, you are their first and probably the last hope.

Cordially,
Gaurav Jain
 

Comments

Dr Krishna K Prasad's picture

Yes, it is happening, but will such a ruling by SC really work in the present pendamic situation and too amidst the present arena of unprecedented unique sort of power game ?

Pages

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Sexual assault most ‘severe’ in Assam

2 Sep 2007 - 5:43am | luitneildon
GUWAHATI, Sept 2: Parents might be shocked to hear this. If a survey conducted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development is to be believed, then Assam tops the list of the highest number...

ULFA ready to resume talks with government

20 Sep 2007 - 2:13pm | pbaruah
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) hints at resuming talks with the Centre even as the government has yet to react.Disclosing this in a statement, the proscribed militant outfit says they are...

Nagaland CM unveils new scheme

14 Oct 2015 - 7:53am | AT News Dimapur
Nagaland Chief Minister T.R Zeliang officially launched Beti Bachao Beti Padhao(BBBP) at his residential office in Kohima on Tuesday. In his address he said,”with the world moving towards a more...

‘Veerangana’ Adjudged Best Documentary Film At Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021

11 Feb 2021 - 2:12pm | AT News
In a heartening news, the Assamese documentary film on the country’s first female commando unit ­– ‘Veerangana’, was adjudged the Best Documentary at the Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021...

Other Contents by Author

BIJOY BURAHGOHAIN JORHAT: More shock and condemnation are pouring three days after the Maibong incident where two protesters lost their lives in police firing. Asom Premi Yuva Chatra Samaj, a one year old organization has joined the statewide condemnation blaming it all on the government for hurting the Indian democracy a day before the Republic Day. In a statement APYCS president Manoj Gogoi threatened to resort to an economic blockade if the government fails to halt the process in question. He said they would intensity the strike if the family members of the martyr duo are not paid adequate compensation. The incident took place on Thursday when at least ten people sustained injury as...
GUWAHATI: CPI polit bureau member Brinda Karat has strongly condemned the police firing in Maibong that runs into a hail of protest across the state. Talking to reporters in Guwahati, she said Delhi and Dispur have been putting the north eastern people in a state of utter confusion. She said,"the government assures Nagaland of a greater Nagalim. In Assam they say territorial integrity will be remaining intact. In Manipur they keep saying differently. What is this? Why the things are not made public? According to her, BJP had outsourced it to RSS and the same policy they have exported to Tripura. The CPI politburo member further tore apart Himanta Biswa Sarma saying that the senior Assam...
KOKRAJHAR: Security forces claimed to have killed an NDFB-S rebel at an encounter in Gossaigaon on Saturday. According to police, the encounter took place inside the Ripu reserve forest during a combing operation. Identified as Ricardo Hazuary, the rebel died on the spot early in the morning. A 9mm pistol along with a few incriminating materials were found from his possession.
HAFLONG: Tension refuses to die down in Dima Hasao two days after the Maibong incident where two protesters were killed in police firing as they blocked the rails to protest the alleged move to annex the hills district into the proposed greater Nagalim. Curfew in Maibong, the epi centre of the incident, is still in force where the local residents have to confine to their homes. Army, police and para military forces have been patrolling on the streets apprehending rerun of violence. "We are closely monitoring the situation. Tight security arrangement is in place to avert any outbreak of fresh incident. Now the situation is under control," said a senior police officer. At least ten local...
HAFLONG: Senior ministers Porimal Suklavaidya and Keshab Mahanta are on a visit to Haflong on Friday a day after the Maibong incident where two people were killed in police firing triggering a seismic wave of protest across the state. After hoisting the tri colour, both the ministers have reached the hills district headquarters to take stock of the situation which turns from bad to worse. People in the tense district stayed away from participating in the Republic Day celebrations in protest against the Maibong firing and many organizations have enforced 48 hour bandh from Friday morning. Curfew in Maibong is still in place where the local residents kept themselves confined to their...
GUWAHATI: Amid an unprecedented security arrangement Assam celebrated the 69th Republic Day defying the rebel diktat to boycott the red letter day. Governor Jagdish Mukhi unfurled the tricolour and took salute of the march pass by army, police, para military forces and NCC boys at the Khanapara Veterinary Playground in the morning. In his address, the governor said the government has been holding talks with ten rebel outfits to restore peace and normalcy. He said an updated NRC will be a huge help to save the north eastern state from the decade old problem of illegal settlers. DHUBRI: Dhubri joined the nation to celebrate the Republic Day with much pomp and gaiety. Forest minister...
KOKRAJHAR: BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary unfurled the tricolour and took salute of the March past of army, police and para military forces at the Kokrajhar Govt HS School Playground on Friday. In his speech, he urged the rebels to come out for talks to allow the regime of development in the state. He said only peace will pave the way for development.
TINSUKIA: Despite tight security and round-the-clock vigil, ULFA(I) rebels exploded two powerful bombs in Tinsukia district amid the Ripublic Day celebrations on Friday. Thr first explosion took place at 6 in the morning just a stone's throw away from the Jagun Police station where there is no report of any casualty. The rebels exploded the second bomb in Ledo at around 7 in the morning. There is, however, no report of any casualty in the incident. Security and civil top guns reached thr spots and intensified the counter insurgency operation two days after the rebels ambushed an army vehicle along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border where a jawan was killed. The authority stepped up...
HAFLONG: Yet another protester succumbed to injury in Maibong police firing on Thursday sending huge shock and anger across the state on Friday. Identified as Prakash Haksama, he died on his way to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital on Friday wee hours. With this, the toll in this incident of police firing in Maibong railway station has gone up to two. The policemen sprang upon a crowd of people who blocked the rails in the morning in protest against the alleged move to annex the hills district in the proposed greater Nagalim. Hours after the firing, MITHUN Dibragede died as he was rushed to the hospital.
GUWAHATI: Defying rebel diktat national tricolour is fluttering in the sky of Assam as the north eastern state joined the nation wide 69th Republic Day on Friday. Governor Jagdish Mukhi is unfurling the tricolour and took salute of the army, police and para military forces at the Khanapara Veterinary Playground in the morning. All cabinet ministers are hoisting the flag at their assigned district headquarters amid an elaborate security arrangement. ULFA-I, NDFB along with other north eastern states have enforced general strike from Thursday mid night opposing the red letter day celebrations and appealed to the people to boycott the Republic Day.