The Observer Volume 18 Issue 5

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Vol 18, Issue 5 Thursday, September 27, 2018

Despite ban, smoking in public continues | P 2

Will give hope to depressed, counter myths

G

Poster for suicide prevention campaign by NIMHANS | Credit: Ileena Dutta lows,” Yukti Ballani, a fellow of the NIMHANS mental health education department, informed The Observer.

“Sometimes the causes can be mental health issues or emotional breakdowns. It is important to take a holistic approach rather than focus on any one aspect,” said Pavitra Jayaram, head of content at White Swan, a not-forprofit organization that offers knowledge services in the area of mental health.

One of the concepts NIMHANS

News Briefs

Sports: India will be aiming to reassert their continental supremacy while an injury-hit Bangladesh will hope to shrug off stage fright when the two sides square off in the grand finale of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Friday.

Family pressures, studies hinder girls playing basketball

Raveena Bhati

T

International: The chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. resigned on Thursday over allegations that he pressured the independent national broadcaster to fire two political journalists because the ruling conservative government disliked them.

On the Web: issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs/ the_observer

Some forced to marry early

Ileena Dutta

National: The Supreme Court, in a majority opinion on Wednesday, upheld Aadhaar as a reasonable restriction on individual privacy that fulfils the government’s “legitimate aim” to provide dignity to a large, marginalised population living in abject poverty.

@theweeklyobserver

First aid needs to be taught in school | P 3

NIMHANS starts drive to prevent suicides he National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has launched a campaign called ‘Be a Buddy for Suicide Prevention’ to create awareness about giving life a second chance.

“The campaign will fight society’s myths and misconceptions associated with suicide. It will give an opportunity to people who are battling suicidal tendencies.

It will give them hope and strength, and build an effective support network for them,” said Dr K. Meena, an associate professor, mental health education, at NIMHANS. During September, which is Suicide Prevention Month, Dr Pratima Murthy of the psychiatry department is conducting sessions to create a network to prevent suicides.

“This is the first campaign started by the fellowship members of mental health education at NIMHANS. It is a year-long programme designed by the fel

The Observer

has introduced is ‘Unpause’. It will educate people about the educational videos and documentaries National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences puts out on social media as part of the campaign.

Shanti Kumar, who did her masters in clinical psychology from London University, said: “Committing suicide is a matter of seconds. It all happens in your mind; either you end your life or you miss that moment.”

Continued on P2

irls have become more interested in basketball than before, but few continue to play the game. Reason: Family pressures and academics.

“A lot of girls participate in the game, but very few continue due to family obstacles,” Poulami Chatterjee, who has played basketball for 10 years, informed The Observer.

An outstanding player from Burdwan Club, Kolkata, who applied for a job under the sports quota in Indian Railways and West Bengal Police was married before the results were declared.

She was 18 at the time of her marriage.

Girls drop out due to a variety of reasons: Onset of puberty; their parents’ objection to them wearing shorts while playing; and their desire to get the girls married early. The game requires a lot of strength and stamina. Some girls cannot cope.

Gabriella who was an associate coach at Cotton’s and Coach at Euro School, Whitefield, said: “A lot of girls stop playing the game

Courtesy:Chandramukh Pandey after PUC to study further. Also, parents restrict them from playing in the 10th and 12th standards because those are considered crucial school years.”

“The number of girls (playing basketball) in five years has increased from 8-10 to 18-19 as a lot of girls are showing interest,” she added, but there is pressure from their families to get married.

Poverty impedes some.A teammate of Polaumi belonged to a poor family. She couldn’t continue because her team had to travel a very long distance to practice. Since the court was distant from the city, they had to stay there the entire day, increasing their daily expenditure. She withdrew from game.

Continued on P2

Cases under SC/ST Act in city shot up after its dilution Akanksha Kashyap

T

he number of cases registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, shot up in Bengaluru after the law was diluted in March.

According to records of Bengaluru city police, the total number of cases registered in the city under the Act from January to March were 38. The number of cases filed between March and August was 69 – a rise of 57%.

“A probable reason for such a statistical change could be police compromising the cases as the accused might have pleaded for it.

After the dilution of the Act, arrests were made only after investigations. Now we don’t know what course it takes,” a highranking police officer in Ben-

galuru informed The Observer.

The Act provides for immediate arrest of a person against whom a complaint is filed.

On March 20, the Supreme Court ruled that police cannot immediately arrest an accused person; instead, it should first conduct an investigation into the charges.

Following nationwide protests by dalit organizations, the Centre, in August, got Parliament to pass an amendment to restore the Act. Mathew Philip, executive director, South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), said: “The dilution was a historic mistake by the Supreme Court. The judiciary was insensitive about the whole thing; it was injustice to the community.”

Dalit organizations in Bengaluru agree with Philip.

K.V. Balakrishna, Karnataka state president for Dalit Samraksha Samithi, said: “If the Act had not been restored, where would we have gone? That is the only Act that protects the dalits today.

We are the voice of the voiceless.

The time has come we stand up for our rights.”

Shravankumar M Mousalgi, Kalaburagi district VP of the Dalit Sena, said: “We dalit have to undergo insult at every point.

Such a dilution by the Supreme Court would apparently give licence to the people who disrespect and torment us.”

The increase in cases was bound to happen after the law was diluted, Philip said.

Sociologist Anitha Kurup, who

is dean of social sciences, National Institute of Advanced Sciences, told The Observer: “Being the disadvantaged population, the SC/STs may not be able to prove the mistakes and feel that the investigation results are biased. Hence, they protested for amendment of the dilution to give fair and equal opportunities to both sides.”

The amendment to restore the Act has not gone down well with upper-caste groups.

Facing protests by them, the CM of election-bound Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has said nobody will be arrested before an investigation.

Chouhan’s placatory statement goes against the Centre’s decision to nullify the March 20 SC order. akanksha.k@iijnm.org

CITY

2

Despite ban, smoking in public continues

Smokers do not care; cops say they are helpless Anuradha Sriram

B

engalureans continue to light up in public places and bars despite a ban on it.

There are no smoking zones in public places. Only pubs and bars that have a seating capacity of at least 30 are allowed to have separate smoking rooms. But few have cared to create smoking rooms. The result: Visitors smoke in the open.

M. Srinivasan, manager of VID, a pub on MG Road, informed The Observer: “This is our bread and butter; we are bound to allow smoking in order to draw more customers. Nowadays smoking is a trend among youth.”

“We are in the process of getting a no objection certificate from the BBMP, but the approval might take time.”

Guzzlers who also smoke seem indifferent to the regulation.

“There are no safe levels of second-hand smoking. People come to pubs to relax and enjoy. The ban on public smoking might interfere in personal freedom,” customers at Church Street Social, a popular pub, said.

For their part, the law keepers say they are helpless. Amaresh Gowda sub-inspector, KR Market police station, said “Citizens do not follow rules. We police won’t be able to do anything; we have better things to do than looking out for pub owners who don’t have NOCs from BBMP to have

The number of passive smokers who have been affected is increasing| |Credit:- Anuradha Sriram designated smoking booths on their premises.”

When The Observer asked a passerby whether he was he was aware of the ban, he said: “I am aware of the ban, but everyone smokes in public. If I do it, what is wrong?”

The number of passive smokers who have been affected is increasing. More than 42% of people suffer health issues such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases due to passive smoking both in public and at home, Dr Deepesh Venkataraman, a cardiologist at BGS Hospital, said.

Asked about smoking in public, Tobacco Board director BB Choudhury said: “It is not the enforcement of a law, but people’s willingness to accept it.”

“How the body accepts smoke depends on the immunity of a person. It is not necessary that all passive smokers are affected,” he added.

BBMP chief health officer Manoranjan Hegde said: “We have formed a Tobacco Control Cell and are looking forward to

safeguard the passive smoker’s health by removing illegal smoking areas. An initiative called Smoke-free Bengaluru has been launched. Bars, clubs and restaurants violate Section 4 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act and the Karnataka Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Act that prohibits smoking in restaurants.” They must not allow smoking in any area where serves food and alcohol are served.

E. Suresh, manager of BBMP’s Public Health Standing Committee, said: “he resolution in working towards the betterment of people who are exposed to second hand smoking has been passed onto the government but it shall take time for us to get it approved”.

WHO says: “Most people know that using tobacco in any form causes cancer and lung disease but many people are not aware that it also causes heart disease and stroke.” anuradha.s@iijnm.org

Fake policies deprive people of third-party insurance Oisika Dev

F

amily members of accident victims do not get compensation due to fake insurance policies or because vehicle involved in accidents are uninsured.

Among the 4,486 claims filed before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) court in Bengaluru between January 2017 and September 2018, 110 policies were found fake.

J. Gopalan, officer-in-charge of the Third Party Claim Hub of the Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd, informed The Observer: “The liability shifts to the owner of the vehicle who is unable to pay compensation, which is on the basis of age and income of the injured or deceased.”

Advocate Padma Uttur, who represents non-life insurance companies, said: “Forty per cent of victims

Victims not compensated |Credit: Oisika Dev do not get compensation due to fake insurance policies or uninsured motor vehicles.” Chapters 10, 11 and 12 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, deal with mandatory thirdparty insurance of motor vehicles.

A meeting held by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety on March 26 observed that 66% vehicles run without third-party in-

surance cover.

Shashi Kaipu, panel investigator of the public sector insurance companies, said: “If the insurance policy is genuine along with other vehicular documents, the family of the victim will easily get compensation from insurance companies through MACT.” Claimant P. Radha Mohan said she filed a motor accident claim in December 2017 following the death of her husband in a motor vehicle accident in January last year. “It was found that the insurance policy filed was fake. As the insurance company is not taking responsibility, such cases are pending. No compensation has been paid to me.”

The apex court has made three years third-party insurance mandatory for new four-wheelers. It is five years for new two-wheelers.

oisika.d@iijnm.org

The Observer Thursday, September 27, 2018

Citizen’s Voice Asian Games The recent questions raised about Khel Ratna 2018 by Asian Games gold medallist Bajrang Punia have again put Indian sports awards into controversy. Virat Kohli who got a zero in the points system was considered for Khel Ratna Award over Bajrang Punia, who topped with 80 points.Such decisions will only demotivate sportspersons who give their best to bring glory to the nation.

Anurag Maan

Rajasthan Polls The people of Rajasthan have never re-elected an incumbent government. Going by this trend, the Congress could be voted into power.

Recent byelection results are a pointer to a similar outcome in the next few months. A lot of people, including many BJP supporters, are unhappy with the way the state government has functioned.At the same time, few women supported Vasundahra Raje Yusha Rahman

Defective number plate cases exceed the previous year’s numbers

Fined Rs.100. | Courtesy-KPN Akanksha Kashyap

D

efaulters for defective number plates have seen a subsequent increase from what it was last year. According to the records of the Traffic Management Centre, the cases in 2017 were 244174 which rose to the number of defaulters being 306937 till the month of July.

“I ride only 3 km a day. Even if my number plate is broken, it doesn’t make a difference,” said Geetha Ramesh, who rides a twowheeler with a number plate that has numbers missing.

The fine charged for a defective number plate is Rs100.

“I have never been charged for it. I had no idea that there is a fine for this,” a commuter said.

Another shared: “My fourwheeler is driven only in the interior parts of the city. I don’t think having a broken number plate is a problem in the interiors.”

An official from the Traffic Management Centre said it is impossible for police curb the problem at once but the enforcement is on always. “Every day, there is a new set of drivers on the road.

So the number of defaulters increase but enforcement is on. It might take some time.”

DCP (traffic) Anupam Agrawal said there are too many commuters on Bengaluru’s streets and a number of traffic issues that need to be addressed. “We take up one issue at a time for awareness programmes.”

Dr Vinod Gornale, a commuter who works at at Nimhans,, said: “I feel it is important to have an accurate number plate because that is the identification of your vehicle.” He said he would have his defective number plate replaced as soon as possible.

Another commuter shared: “I am not aware that it is a punishable offence, but I feel the number plate is really important. So I got mine changed as soon as it was broken.”

Vehicles with fake number plates are used by criminals.

Prof M.N. Sreehari, a traffic expert, said: “Digitisation of number plates is important. Until that happens, the situation would remain the same. Such vehicles are generally used for all sorts of crimes.” akanksha.k@iijnm.org

NIMHANS starts drive to prevent suicides continued from page 1 Suicide is a complex phenomenon caused by a range of issues. Its prevention requires a deep understanding of the underlying causes.

On the other hand, depression is a long episode of sadness and anxiety, and of losing in regular activities. In a country where talking about mental health, suicide and depression is a taboo, such campaigns play a prominent role in people’s lives.

“I used to feel numb; empty within

myself. I always had a fear that this is the end of everything. I used to take maprotiline, an antidepressant to get over it,” shared Neha Barua, a 20year-old student.

‘Be a Buddy for Suicide Prevention’ does not target any particular age group. It has been launched to ensure that people come forward and talk about it instead of ending their lives.

The programme seems to be raising awareness about preventing suicides.

ileena.d@iijnm.org

“They have a long way to go..” continued from page 1 Natasha Das, who has played for seven years now, says: “Though the number (of girls playing basketball) has increased, they have a long way to go. To continue it in the face of obstacles put by family is a great challenge.”

India ranks 45th in women’s basketball. Recently, the National Basketball Association held programme called ‘Basketball Without Borders’ where Ruth Riley, technical director at NBA, trained 18 girls from India, China and Australia.

raveena.b@iijnm.org

CITY

The Observer Thursday, September 27, 2018

3

First aid needs to be taught in schools ‘Indians have only theoretical knowledge’ Raveena Bhati

F

irst aid education should be included in the school curriculum, say experts. According to Alert, an NGO that provides free education on first aid measures, only 1% of the population is aware of measures to be taken during medical emergencies.

First aid is the immediate treatment given to people who suffer physical injuries in mishaps. If first aid is given, chances of saving an injured person are high.

“Lack of first aid as practical education in the Indian education curriculum is illogical. Countries like the US and the UK give importance to first aid education and practical knowledge as to any other subject, and it’s a part of their curriculum. In India, first aid remains in text; no practical knowledge is provided. Hence, no one is aware of the need to treat a victim,” Dr Murali S. of St John’s Ambulance Association informed The Observer.

He pointed to the case of a man who suffered a cut in his left leg in an accident and collapsed due to excessive bleeding. He could have survived if he had been given first aid. The need to including first aid in school curricu-

If first aid is given, chances of saviing an injured person are high.|Courtesy: Alert NGO lum is indispensable.

In 2017, Safe Life Foundation in Delhi released a report that said 70% people surveyed ignored victims of road accidents because they feared harassment by police.

Most were unaware of measures to be taken after accidents.

VMEDOS, an online startup, helps to tackle household emergencies before medical help arrives. Co-founder Praveen Gowda mentioned a case where the parents of a nine-year-old called him to seek help. “The boy was choking, and they had no idea how to help him. Experts on the other side of the phone were not able to explain the first aid technique

used in such situations since the parents had never seen it. They lost their child.”

Dileep Raj G, secretary of Alert said: “A major problem is that people do not understand the meaning of an emergency. The day before Raksha Bandhan, a woman in an autorickshaw fell out after the driver braked suddenly. People were trying to shift her from the road. Fortunately, I was passing by the place. I explained to them that shifting the lady was not the right thing to do as they did not know her condition. It took me 20 minutes to make the people understand the measures to be taken to save her

life.”

Other organizations like the Indian Red Cross Society and American Heart Association train people in first aid measures. They try to create awareness about first aid on a corporate level, whereas Alert and VMDEOS seek to create awareness among people in homes.

The Institute of Public Health has started a Safe Roads Bengaluru programme to provide awareness about first aid on roads. “There are glaring gaps in the education system.All basic components of first aid are just present theoretically,” assistant director Pragati Hebbar said.

Beware: Your email spam folder may contain malware Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel

A

new malware downloader that silently steals data from a computer and sends it to a hacker is the latest threat facing the Internet world. Experts warn that India is not immune to this new malware downloader, called MARAP. If computer users are not cautious, they could be in for a nasty shock.

MARAP lurks in the email spam folder which has the ability to download other malware that would steal data and send information to a hacker's computer. It is usually not easy to carry any malware through email.

MARAP, therefore, is in the form of a downloader that would download malware into the victim’s computer. It first collects the details of the operating system (Windows or Mac) and the protection wall installed. It downloads a module that cannot be detected by the protection wall.

“MARAP is not malware itself, but a small downloader that can download trojans, ransomware or any malware into the victim's system as per the interest of the hacker. It is not specific to any countries and can spread anywhere through email,” Senthil Velan, head of cyber security, Lakshya Cyber Security Lab, informed The Observer.

Hackers can use different categories of malware to launch a coordinated attack.|Courtesy: Pexels MARAP also scans other computers and sends information about them to the command and control server (C&C), a centralised server linking the infected systems. The module gathers details like username, IP address, hostname, security software information and more. It helps the hacker gain access to computational power (CPU and GPU) that would be required to

generate cryptocurrency (like bitcoins or monero).

“Hackers can use different categories of malware to launch a coordinated attack. They can also generate traffic that can’t be handled by the load balancer and use them to mine cryptocurrency. It is not malicious now as it just gains all details of the victim and the linked systems. It poses a threat once it launches the second mod-

ule that would infect many systems around the planet,” said Sathish Kumar, a cyber security researcher.

The functionality of this malware lies in its difficulty to detect.

It uses the sleep time of the victim’s computer before starting any malicious function and exits before the user becomes aware of it.

“There are chances it will infect computers in India. This is different from others. It is difficult to detect as it applies hashing and time check techniques,” said Krithika S., a professor in network security and cryptography.

MARAP has targeted financial institutions in the US. An officer of the government’s Indian Computer Emergency Response Team said they had not received any report until now regarding MARAP. But that doesn't mean India is free of attacks.

Nishant Zala, a cyber security consultant from Global Cyber Security Response Team, said: “MARAP incidents have not been reported in India, but there are chances. It is important to stay alert and avoid opening links and attachments from unknown sources. It is the best way to stay safe from any kind of cyber attack and keep your systems safe from malware” abbinaya.k@iijnm.org

Around the City •Leon Koudelak @ Leon Koudelak Douze Etudes / H. Villa Lobos tour 2018/19, 30 Sept, 6:00 PM •Knife Painting Workshop With Rolling Canvas, 6th Oct,11 a.m-6 p.m @ The Namakh Store n Cafe •Design Sante | BLR Design Week By ADI Bengaluru, 29 Sep, 11:00AM - 11:00PM Jayamahal Palace Hotel , North Bangalore •GTF Women's Excellence Summit & Awards – 2018 By Global Triumph Foundation, 29 Sep 9:30AM - 5:30PM, Hotel Royal Orchid , East Bangalore •BDW Design Film Fest By ADI Bengaluru, Tue, 2 Oct 6:00PM - Thu, 4 Oct 8:00PM, The Courtyard •Heros UX Workshop by Spread, Sun, 30 Sep 10:30AM 1:00PM , Spread Design Barn •YourStory TechSparks 2018, Fri, 5 Oct 9:00AM - Sat, 6 Oct 6:00PM, Vivanta By Taj - Yeshwantpur, North Bangalore •Distress wood & image transfer workshop by The Living Walls - With the Living Walls Studio, Sun, 30 Sep, 10:30AM - 1:30PM, The Living Walls –Studio, Bengaluru •Dialogues with Music By Dialogues Cafe, Dialogues Koramangala, Fri, 28 Sep 8:00PM 10:00PM •NAMASTE HABIBI- Friday Bolly Night at CLOUDNYN, Fri, 28 Sep 8:30PM - Sat, 29 Sep 1:00AM •Fabric Painting Workshop (Cotton), Thu, 27 Sep 12:00PM 3:00PM, The Arts Village Central Bangalore •Mindful Cooking and Eating Workshop By Sarah Edwards By Happy Healthy Me, Fri, 28 Sep 11:30AM-1:00PM,Happy Healthy MeOrganics,Whitefield East Bengaluru •Gond Painting Workshop By Iteeha,Fri,28Sep3:30PM -

City Weather Forecast:Isolated Thunderstorms MaximumTemperature: 26 degree Celsius Minimum Temperature: 21 degree Celsius Humidity: 81%

Observer Team Editor: Anuradha Sriram Reporters: Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel, Anuradha Sriram, Akanksha Kashyap, Ileena Dutta, Oisika Dev, Raveena Bhati Desk: Akanksha Kashyap, Ajay Biradar, Ileena Dutta, Oisika Dev, Pranay Prakash Page Layout: Abbinaya K, Raveena Bhati, Pranay Prakash, Akanksha Kashyap Supplement: Jignasa Sinha, Yajush Gupta

Law & Society

The Observer SUPPLEMENT

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Life after 377 The Supreme Court has struck the first blow but it’s society that must accept all sexual identities as equal, writes Jignasa Sinha

A

lthough the Supreme Court has decriminalised homosexuality and ruled that “popular morality” cannot override constitutional guarantees of equality before the law, the battle for the recognition for non-heterosexual relationships continues.

Says Delshad Master, content manager for theFifty Shades of Gay website,“Even now the major issue remains a change in people’s mindsets.

No law is enough to alter that.

Till the time people, parents, teachers continue to think of homosexuality as a disease or a fad or something to be ashamed of, the LGBTQ community will continue to have problems.”

It is one thing to overturn a patently unfair law, butquite another to change public perceptions. “We are so deeply embedded in our narrow religious, casteist, bourgeois and sexually binary biases that until we effect a radical change at the grass-root level through unbiased and scientific education, I personally don’t see India undergoing much change post the scrapping ofsection 377,”adds

Gay rights manifested. Credit:CNN Delshad.

These prejudices have been deepened by popular culture, particularly by Bollywood movies which portrays the LGBTQ+ community as perverts, mindless, fashion-obsessed people.Transgenders, who are stereotyped in mainstream movies as burlesque characters, face some of worst discrimination in real life.

Delshad explains how Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) presents a false hope to transgender people. Even if one can afford the surgery, chances of getting accepted by family and friends are slender.

For those who can’t afford such surgery, they are often

abandoned by their families and, since most employers don’t hire trans people,are forced into begging or sexwork. Discrimination by employers is rarely challenged legally because most trans people don’t file cases and private employers can always take the defence that they are not bound to hireunderqualified or inexperienced people.

Says Pooja Krishnakumar, online editor of Gaysimagazine, “Even after several amendments in the Trans bill, equal opportunities have not been provided to the LGBTQ community.” Reservation for transgender community in educational and

government institutions is a long -standing demand of the community but one that the judiciary has not taken cognisance of.

“Gay marriage is still questionable and nobody seems to be doing anything about laws and rights for LGB’s,” adds Pooja.Trans-people still need the government’s certification to be termed “third gender” which is problematic as it violates the right to privacy and discourages many people from applying. “India needs to have gender-neutral laws for the LGBTQ+ when it comes to things like rape, marriage, live-in relationships, rental agreements, bank accounts, inheritance laws, inclusivity at the workplace etc.” says Delshad.

India cannot claim to be free and progressive till we amend major laws and introduce new ones to protect the community from atrocities like violence and rape, say gay-rights activists. Adoption rights, marriage rights and surrogacy for the LGBTQ+ community are yet to be discussed by the judiciary. There should be schemes introduced by the government to help people get

GRS and to counsel people who are dealing with problems in defining their identity and sexual orientation.

But prejudice runs deep. Responding to the court verdict on section 377, MJ Umari,vice president of the All India Muslim Personal law board, said homosexuality is against the law of nature. Chandra Prakash Kaushik, president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, worries that his progeny might now change their sexual orientation. In a country where large numbers of people suffer from hunger, unemployment, illiteracy and ill-health, some people still believehomosexuality is the biggest threat to our wellbeing.

We need to create a more LGBTQ-sensitive environment to protect this vulnerable community, to curb depression and prevent suicides among them, to make their lives less miserable and to support everybody who has different sexual preference.A revolution is still awaited and justice will not been served tillalternative sexual and gender identities are accepted and protected.

The crying need for police reform India’s policing system owes much to our colonial past and has little relevance to present needs, says Yajush Gupta

I

t took 24 years for one of India’s top space scientists to clear his name of false charges of espionage levelled against him by the Kerala police. The Supreme Court recently awarded Nambi NarayanRs. 50 lakhs as compensation, but his story isn’t just about the abuse of police power;it’s a cautionary tale of an impending breakdown in the rule of law.

Retired judge Mehtab Singh Gill headsa commission in Punjab tasked with reversing false police cases filed in the state. In an interview with The Times of India, he emphasized the importance of independent police functioning. “It is precisely because of (political) interference with police that they are not able to function as they should be functioning. If police are given independence with some checks and some accountability, they can function much better.”

The Malimath Committee Report states that even after independence, the Indian Police continues to be governed

Indian police, unprepared for modern world.Yajush Gupta by colonialpolice laws framed in 1861. It speaks of the need to reform and modernize these laws to keep up with the increasing complexity of crime as much as the growing responsibilities of the police.

Police in India, under the control of the party in power, are blind to corruption and are often a partner in crime. According to a survey by the anti-graft organization Transparency International (TI), police topped the list of Indian public services most often demanding a bribe with about 30% of those surveyed saying that they have bribed.

Another study by Jana-

graha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy in 2016 revealed that passport verifications make up 30% of the average bribe paid by an Indian annually, while traffic violations make up 25%. The means are numerous and the amounts far-reaching, ranging from Rs.2,500for a false breathalyzer test toRs.500 for passport verification.

The Supreme Court’s September 2006 judgement in Prakash Singh vs Union of India held that all decisions on transfer of officers and police personnel should be devoid of political interference.

The courthad recommended

thatstate governments form police establishment boards that include senior officers who would collectively take decision on transfer matters.

“Though the board has been established, it is not independent. It functions on the recommendations of local MLAs and other powerful politicians,” said a senior IPS officer to The Hindu newspaper.

Police is a state subject under the Constitution and although the central government controls theCentral Reserve Police Force it is primarily meant to aid the states in maintaining law and order.

According to the Bureau of Police Research & Development, on average there are just 137 police personnel for every 100,000 citizens. In states such asBihar and Uttar Pradesh, which have greater law and order issues, the ratio has dipped to about 65-75 police personnel per 100,000 citizens.The United Nation recommends a force of 220 per 100,000.

TheBPRD report saysstate police forces had about 5.5

lakh vacancies (or 21.8% of their strength) in January 2017. While the sanctioned police strength was 181 police per one lakh persons in 2017, the actual strength was 137.

However, India’s 15,000 VVIPs are safeguarded by over 47,000 police personnel, most of whom are better trained than the average policeman protecting the public.

Police selection procedures and training in respect of basic responsibilities, laws and investigative processes are poorly designed and unprofessionally executed, several agencies have noted. The present structure of the force is not aligned with the responsibilities it is supposed to shoulder. Above all, performance is compromised by long working hours, poor pay and living standards.

The police represent the first point of contact between the citizen and the state. If the state is to command the respect of the people, building a responsive and responsible police force would be a good place to start.