The strict lockdown measures by the governments of all states in India has left the police force between two equally unpleasant situations.
The government ordered the police to bring situation under control by ensuring no citizen comes out without a valid reason. On the other hand, public should not feel that they are under police rule.
"It is like between devil and deep blue sea. The Prime Minister on twitter orders the respective Chief Ministers of the states to take strict measures with respect to complete lockdown. The Chief Ministers call for Press Meets and instruct the public not to come out. But when the people left deaf year to government orders and came out without valid reason, we first requested them to go back. Dealing softly didn't bring the desired result. The CMs ordered our seniors to bring situation to control by whatever means. They order us to use the stick if required. We are doing that. It is painful to beat our citizens. But coming out without valid reason is a crime now. We psyched up our minds to treat them as criminals", explained a Circular Inspector working in Madhapur sector of Hyderabad.
Another cop from Gachibowli area shared, "Majority of the people are cooperating with us. We respect all of them. But there are some youngsters who are coming out just out of curiosity to ride on empty roads. We don't understand if they are not following the instructions in media or making an adventure despite knowing the police action. When we stop them, either they laugh or try to escape like a thief-police game. Why don't we get irritated? Our duty is not just protecting the people but also to keep them in discipline when the rules are not followed. Two guys have removed the silencers of two bikes and came out in jolly mood. That is like challenging the police force. Our cops battered them with a lathi and also broken the lights of the bikes. You may advise us to silently arrest them and put in jail. First, that is a long process; second, if we attempt that, considering the number of youngsters coming out like that, the jails will be filled in a week with them contradicting the social distancing measure".
"A lady in North India has licked the hand of a senior cop when he prevented her from moving out of her place. She did so out of frustration and to give a fear that she transmitted the Covid to him. She may not have been tested Covid positive. But this act is an utter disgrace. But either the senior cop or the constables beside him didn't beat her or arrested her. The senior cop has shouted on her asking why she did that. We, the police, think in many ways before using the lathi. We are considerate towards women. But that doesn't mean, the women can do whatever they want", expressed a cop in angst.
On the other hand, a media person says, "The sub inspector of Peravali police station in West Godavari of AP is suspended for beating an entire family including women on the grounds of violating social distancing orders. In another episode, the cops have charged the people of a religious community for getting into prayer gathering. The video is also circulating. It is better to bring a law to stop circulation of such videos before the eruption of communal riots against police brutality".
This is the ugly but inevitable situation not just in two Telugu states, but across the nation. The personal egos of the cops get ignited when the public doesn't fear. That is the main reason for all these episodes.
