Burning of Santal houses
On Tuesday, the High Court ordered the withdrawal of the superintendent of Gaibandha police and all policemen who were on duty on November 6 of last year in Chamgari Beel where Santal houses were torched during an eviction drive that left three people dead. The HC issued the order after holding a brief hearing on the probe report prepared by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Gaibandha which states that three policemen along with some locals were directly involved in the arson of Santal homes. The SP failed to produce the names and designations of the concerned officials who, beyond a shadow of a doubt, participated in unlawful conduct.
The actions of the SP can only be interpreted as obstruction of justice, designed to protect errant policemen whose reprehensible conduct—captured on video—displayed their utmost disregard for the rule of law. The SP's failure to deliver the list of names of the officials who were seen collaborating with locals in torching Santal houses, on the pretext that they could not be identified because they were wearing helmets, is unacceptable. Is there not a system of keeping record of the movements of policemen whenever they are deployed on duty?
We can only hope that within the next four weeks, when the HC is set to pass the next order, the officials, who not only overstepped their jurisdiction but also compromised the dignity of their uniform, will be identified and brought to book. Ultimately, what cannot be encouraged in any civilised society is a culture of impunity where law enforcers turn into lawbreakers. The slightest breach of discipline in a disciplined force should be severely dealt with, and those who protect violators should be made examples of.
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