Police violate rights owing to work load, says ex-Lokayukta

Police, who are working under great pressure, sometimes tend to violate human rights, a former Lokayukta said at a seminar.

Opening a two-day meet on ‘The role of police in protection of human rights in India: Issues and perspectives’, former Lokayukta justice Shivaraj V Patil said such violations occur when police face work pressure at various levels.

Comparison of human rights in India with that of other countries is of no use, Patil said.

In criminal investigation, police play an important role in protecting and enforcing human rights. This may relate to the rights of the accused, undertrials, prisoners and women, he said.

Law minister S Suresh Kumar said police should never distance themselves from the community because it will hamper the investigation and make people lose faith in them. Former law minister HK Patil said human rights embraced everyone from a commoner to a scholar.

The issue becomes complicated when police come into the picture. Police are expected to discharge their duties without violating human rights, he said, adding that there should be a mechanism to protect honourable officers who work under great pressure. 

The seminar is being held to examine, analyse and inform the policemen about human rights. More than 400 students from various colleges attended the seminar along with police officials.

It  was organised by the University of Law College and PG department of studies and research in law, Bangalore University, in association with the bureau of police research and development, Delhi.