CONFERENCE OF DGPs & IGPs
Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC addressed the annual conference of the DGPs and IGPs, organized by the Intelligence Bureau on the 26th August, 2010, in New Delhi. This was followed by an interactive session with the senior police officers on issues concerning human rights violations and policing. Justice Balakrishnan said that the police are the ultimate vanguards of human rights. The expectations from the police are truly enormous. At the same time, it has to be acknowledged that the delivery of service by the police in our country leaves much to be desired. He said that a very large proportion of the complaints received in the Commission relate to allegations of violations of human rights by police personnel. Majority of these complaints relate to failure to take lawful action, abuse of power, false implication, and illegal detentions of accused, suspects and their relatives.
Justice Balakrishnan said that the trauma faced by the person, especially the one who has been lifted just on suspicion or because he happened to be related to someone wanted by the police, leaves a long lasting impact on the personality of the victim, nay the character of our society.
The NHRC Chairperson said that the two areas, where police performance besmirches their shining image are that of complaints of police encounters and custodial violence. During the past three years the Commission received 212 complaints of deaths and alleged fake encounters by the police. He said that the senior police officers have to give a serious thought that such actions do not help control crimes. They need to guard against a tendency of accepting that such fake encounters enjoy public support because encounters are used for elimination of hard core criminals.
Justice Balakrishnan said that it is equally true that 841 policemen laid down their lives in the last year, during the course of performance of their duties, and NHRC had condemned acts of violence against police personnel as they too have human rights, but every incident of fake encounter brings a bad name to our martyr policemen and it must be shunned. He said that as leaders of police service, the senior officers need to reflect upon and take steps to bridge the gap between the expectations of the people and the actual service being delivered to them. At the same time they also need to ensure the welfare and well being of all the policemen and police officers. He said that guaranteeing the basic human rights of police and basic amenities of the service is the best way to motivate them.
Justice Balakrishan said that the Commission has been working vigorously to create
awareness about human rights and to sensitize the public authorities about the protection and promotion of these rights. In this connection, the Commission has also developed human rights training module for police personnel.
Justice Balakrishnan said that the trauma faced by the person, especially the one who has been lifted just on suspicion or because he happened to be related to someone wanted by the police, leaves a long lasting impact on the personality of the victim, nay the character of our society.
The NHRC Chairperson said that the two areas, where police performance besmirches their shining image are that of complaints of police encounters and custodial violence. During the past three years the Commission received 212 complaints of deaths and alleged fake encounters by the police. He said that the senior police officers have to give a serious thought that such actions do not help control crimes. They need to guard against a tendency of accepting that such fake encounters enjoy public support because encounters are used for elimination of hard core criminals.
Justice Balakrishnan said that it is equally true that 841 policemen laid down their lives in the last year, during the course of performance of their duties, and NHRC had condemned acts of violence against police personnel as they too have human rights, but every incident of fake encounter brings a bad name to our martyr policemen and it must be shunned. He said that as leaders of police service, the senior officers need to reflect upon and take steps to bridge the gap between the expectations of the people and the actual service being delivered to them. At the same time they also need to ensure the welfare and well being of all the policemen and police officers. He said that guaranteeing the basic human rights of police and basic amenities of the service is the best way to motivate them.
Justice Balakrishan said that the Commission has been working vigorously to create
awareness about human rights and to sensitize the public authorities about the protection and promotion of these rights. In this connection, the Commission has also developed human rights training module for police personnel.