Concerns About the Police encounter in Thane

Source: The post concerns about the police encounter in Thane has been created, based on the article “A rape accused was killed in a police vehicle. That’s not the end of the story” published in “Indian Express” on 27th September is 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Governance -Important aspects of governance

Context: The article discusses a controversial police encounter in Thane, where a rape accused was killed inside a police vehicle. It questions the legitimacy of the encounter, highlights political implications, and raises concerns about fake encounters targeting the poor for political gain.

For detailed information on Issues related to policing in India read this article here

What Concerns Were Raised About the Police encounter in Thane?

1. Unusual Deployment: It is not common to assign a senior inspector for prisoner escort duty. Both the senior and junior inspectors’ presence seemed unnecessary, raising suspicions about the purpose of the assignment.
2. Suspicious Circumstances: The accused, reportedly handcuffed and with his face covered, allegedly snatched a police officer’s pistol. This seems unlikely and makes the police account questionable.
3. Past Record of the Senior Inspector: The officer who shot the accused has a controversial past. His dismissal was once recommended for helping a gangster relative escape custody, which questions his credibility.
4. Comparison to Similar Cases: The Thane encounter resembles the Hyderabad case, where police killed four rape accused. That case was later found to have significant flaws, casting doubt on such encounters.
5. Targeting the Poor: The article notes that fake encounters often target poor individuals, hinting that the accused’s social status made him vulnerable to such actions.

Question for practice:

Discuss the concerns raised about the legitimacy of the police encounter in Thane, focusing on the unusual deployment, suspicious circumstances, and the targeting of the poor.