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Hans India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Notice issued to govt on petition filed by Uttam seeking quash of 2 criminal cases
On Wednesday Justice Lakshman issued notice to the State government and the de facto complainants in two criminal petitions filed by Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy seeking a direction to quash two FIRs registered against him. The FIRs were registered against Reddy and others in two police stations in Huzurnagar for violating the model code of conduct (Huzurnagar by-elections). The FIR 187/2019 dated October 18 was registered at PS Nereducharla (Suryapet district) against Reddy, then MLA, A Revanth Reddy, the then MP, and Kolli Prabhakar Reddy for violating the code. A chargesheet,395 of 2023, was filed U/s. 341, 188 r/w. 34 of IPC and Section 30 of Police Act, 1861. The FIR 184/2019 was registered at PS Palakaveedu in the district against Reddy and others for holding a road show on October 18 at Janpahad village. The chargesheet , 396 of 2023, filed U/s. 341, 188 r/w. 34 of IPC and Section 30 of Police Act is pending before the Special JFCM for Excise cases.
Hans India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Tight security for Jagan's Nellore visit
Nellore: In connection with the one-day visit of former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy scheduled on July 31, the police administration has made Z Plus Category security arrangements to avoid untoward incidents. At a press conference held here on Tuesday, in-charge SP A R Damodar has said that as per the schedule, the former chief minister will reach the helipad set up at Chemudugunta village of Venkatachalam mandal, by 10 am on Thursday. Jagan will meet former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy at Nellore Central Prison. Later Jagan will visit the residence of former Kovur MLA Nallapureddy Prasananna Kumar Reddy, The residence of Prasanna Kumar was earlier ransacked by some unidentified persons. The SP said that no representations were received from the YSRCP organisers for conducting rallies or public meetings. However, the police administration has made elaborate security arrangements in view of the visit. He also said that orders under Section-30 of Police Act were in force and hence rallies and roadshows are prohibited during the former chief minister's one-day tour. The SP warned of action against those displaying placards and banners. He has appealed to the YSRCP leaders to extend cooperation to the police department in preventing untoward incidents. Additional SP Ch Soujanya, Nellore City DSP Sindhu Priya, Rural DSP Gattamaneni Srinivasa Rao and others were present.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
In Bihar, policing stays handcuffed to an old law
In December 2018, young industrialist Gunjan Khemka fell to a single headshot outside his factory in Hajipur. In January 2021, Indigo's Patna station manager Rupesh Kumar Singh was riddled with six bullets at his apartment gate. By mid-2025, it had become all too common: A JD(U) district secretary in Khagaria, two businessmen in Chhapra, a BJP general secretary in Patna, and finally, Gopal Khemka (Gunjan's father) shot as he stepped out of his SUV, 50 metres from a police outpost. Each killing was quicker than the last and carried the same message: We can kill whoever we want, whenever we choose, and the law will arrive just in time to photograph the corpse. A pattern emerges across these six high-profile murders: textbook precision, minimal forensic residue, no reliable witnesses, and investigations that collapse before reaching a judge. This is the Patna Protocol — a doctrine of strategic gangland violence, not rooted in bravado or political conspiracy, but in institutional failure — a police force still handcuffed to the 1861 Police Act, drafted by colonial administrators less interested in solving crimes than in keeping a conquered population subdued. This law's first principle was control, not protection. After the 1857 rebellion, the British needed a constabulary to quell uprisings, enforce taxes, and watch the population. Scientific investigation and specialised homicide squads weren't part of the script. The genius of the design lay in under-training: A constable with a lathi was a symbol that Crown authority stretched from cantonment to every muddy lane. That legacy still defines the Bihar Police. Patrolling is mandatory; investigation is optional. Consider the numbers. Bihar's sanctioned police strength is 115 per 100,000 people, but actual deployment is just 76 — well below the UN-recommended 222. Nearly 50% of positions are vacant, as per recent DGP statements. Less than 5% of officers are certified in forensic collection of ballistic evidence. The state has only one working forensic lab — short on staff, power, and supplies. By the time a 9-mm shell casing gets from crime scene to lab and back, political winds may have shifted. Witnesses vanish. Evidence disappears. Cases lose shape. This is how the Protocol thrives. Bihar's average emergency response time is 34 minutes. UP's UP-100 helpline averages under 15 minutes in urban areas. Globally, sub-5-minute responses raise arrest probabilities from 20% to over 60%. In Bihar, a 60-second killing meets a patrol 33 minutes later, just in time for photos. Would bigger budgets solve the rot? Only if doctrine changes with the hardware. In 2015, Bihar got Scorpio SUVs for district police. Many now sit idle, with no drivers, no fuel. Patrolling has become ceremonial. When a colonial-era force is handed modern tools, it finds colonial-era uses for them. Contrast this with New York City in the 1990s. The NYPD's CompStat linked promotions to case resolution, not patrol hours. Lab capacity expanded. Investigators were trained to build trial-ready cases. Convictions rose. Confidence returned. Bihar doesn't lack brave officers; it lacks an institutional mandate that rewards forensic certainty over lathi-wielding optics. Courts don't help either. Overburdened and under-resourced, they admit forensic evidence only if protocols are followed, often impossible at the local thana. Some district armoires have just one non-functional microscope. One police station stores all evidence in a disused broom closet. Chains of custody break before trial begins. Consequently, citizens lose faith. Some turn to illegal arms; others quietly pay extortion. Inaction is paid for in cash, in silence, and in blood. Reform must begin at the source: Repeal the 1861 Police Act. The 2006 Model Police Act (still languishing in legislative limbo) offered an alternative: independent oversight, scientific training, fixed tenures, insulation from political interference. Because the Patna Protocol remains undefeated, its architects grow bolder with every cold case, with every family that gives up. In our republic, the Police exist to protect, not suppress. The law cannot serve administrators at the expense of the administered. Bihar's people must ask whether safety is a matter of charity or a constitutional right. If it is the latter, they must demand institutions built to protect, not dominate. The 1861 Act was written to subdue them. It's time to write something better; something worthy of citizens, not subjects. Khagesh Gautam is professor of law, Jindal Global Law School. The views expressed are personal.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
CAT order on Bengaluru stampede: State govt, RCB, suspended IPS officer make submissions in Karnataka HC
The Karnataka High Court Friday heard submissions from the state challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order quashing the suspension of several senior IPS officers in the wake of the June 4 Bengaluru stadium stampede. The counsel of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash also made submissions on his behalf, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru's counsel made submissions in their petition challenging CAT's remarks regarding the responsibility of RCB for the tragedy. Eleven people died and several others got injured outside the Bengaluru cricket stadium on June 4, during an event called to celebrate RCB's maiden IPL championship victory. Appearing on behalf of the state, Senior Advocate P S Rajagopal argued that the Tribunal had gone into a fact-finding exercise which it was not authorised or warranted to go into, and then absolved the police officers and granted them relief. Rajagopal further said, 'What these (police) officers do, as if they are servants of RCB, as if they have no powers under Police Act… they start making the bandobast security arrangements.' He added that the police could have simply refused permission to RCB and issued a prohibitory order under the Police Act. Rajagopal also objected to a statement of the CAT in the context of the stampede to the effect that the police did not have magic powers. Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinappa appeared on behalf of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash. In the context of the stampede, he drew an analogy to the Hollywood film, Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, which describes a real incident of a plane crash landing in the Hudson River. The pilot had the option of landing in the river or at the airport during an emergency, and simulators during an inquiry showed that he could have landed at the airport. But when accounting for extra time for human factors, the simulator would crash the plane. Having made the analogy, the counsel said, 'People who are at the event in the relevant time are the ones who have to take a decision… all the unfortunate events of people passing away happened in the span of 5-10 minutes and was contained. In all these unfortunate events there has to be a scapegoat… therefore you choose the top three officers… and suspend them.' He also questioned the phrasing of 'accountability' in the government orders. Briefly arguing on behalf of RCB with regard to remarks of CAT holding them responsible for the stampede, Senior Advocate Sandesh Chouta said, 'We are aware that (the remarks) are not binding but expunging would be necessary in view of other inquiries are going on.' He added that there had been no objections from others to the plea for expunging the remarks. The hearing of the matter is set to continue on Friday.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Servants of RCB: Karnataka argues against revoking cop's suspension over Bengaluru stampede
The Karnataka government on Thursday told the High Court that senior police officers acted like "servants of RCB" while defending its decision to suspend IPS officer Vikash Kumar over the stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium last month, LiveLaw for the state, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty argued that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order exceeded its jurisdiction and should be stayed. He told the court that the suspension of Vikash and other IPS officers had been approved by the Union government, citing dereliction of duty. The suspension order was issued on June before the toss of the final match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings, an application was given to the concerned police officers by RCB about their plans of celebrating victory, in case they win the match. Police officers acted as servants of the RCB," LiveLaw quoted state counsel as saying in court. "The officers started making security arrangements without questioning who had permitted the event," the counsel the government argued that it was impossible to manage the huge crowd with just 12 hours' notice and questioned the officer's actions. "What was the officer doing? Did he take any steps? Instead of issuing prohibitory orders under the Police Act, they went ahead with bandobast for the celebration," the state June 4, a stampede occurred outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, where thousands had gathered following RCB's maiden IPL victory. The incident led to the suspension of ACP Vikash Kumar Vikash and other officers for alleged lapses in crowd control and permission oversight. The Central Administrative Tribunal later revoked Vikash's suspension, prompting the state to move the High Court to challenge the its submission to the High Court, the Congress-led Karnataka government directly blamed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the stampede that killed 11 people and injured several government cited multiple lapses, including a public video appeal by cricketer Virat Kohli, which it said attracted an overwhelming crowd even though police had denied permission for the event.- EndsMust Watch
