Retired Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), Ms. Meeran Chadha Borwanka has criticised the recent encounters in Uttar Pradesh. She said that encounter is not the answer unless the person is a threat to the life of police personnel. She was speaking on the topic of rogue cops and challenges faced by the Indian Police force.
While replying the media about a question on the encounter of the son of Atiq Ahmed, Asad, and his associate Ghulam Hussain, she said, “Shootout of a person who only has one criminal case against him… my vote will not be for it. Unless he is a threat to my life… All encounters, as per Human Rights Commission, have to be enquired… In Atiq’s killing, there will be an enquiry against the cops.”
She also emphasised that police training should go beyond arms drills, parades and lectures, and focus on human rights. Admitting the political interference in police cases she said, “whenever there’s an influential person involved in a crime, there’s some political pressure.”
Ms. Meeran explained how a few policemen across states are pushed into “wrongdoing” and ultimately become rogue. She demanded that independent complaint authorities and state commissions be set up to alert such cops of their mistakes and let the public know what is happening around them.
