I haven’t read the complete reports on the inquiries into the incidents that have in the recent past been referred to as ‘police encounters’, and, therefore, do not intend to sit in judgement over the actions of my fellow colleagues in police. However, there is little doubt that the society is split down the middle on the issue of ‘encounters’ – certain sections of the society love it and some detest it. Unmistakably, though, the strong arm of the law needs to prevail. Public order, law and order and safety are paramount.
Recent incidents that have caught media attention are the Guna encounters of poachers, the Hyderabad encounter in the rape case, the frequent trickle from Jammu & Kashmir of terrorists and militants, and the admittedly botched operation at Oting village in Mon, Nagaland. The immediate trigger for these actions can be anything from an attempt to attack law enforcers to ‘live encounters’ during search or cordon operations, or, they could be based on specific inputs in bona fide operations aimed at neutralising criminals.