Dear Sir,
Writing under the heading “Incentive to police” in December 15, 1988 issue of The Tribune, Chandigarh, Punjab retired Civil Servant, Kuldip Singh Virk pleads for financial assistance to the families of police officers whose sons have been allegedly killed by freedom fighters. He goes on to list the names of those affected, aamely, D.S. Mangat Inspector General of police, Punjab, Harkishan Singh Kahlon, S.P. Amritsar, Chaman Lal DSP (who could not hear the loss of his only son and died 9 months after his death and Mr. Bedi DSP, Ludhiana etc.
It is rather unfortunate that these young men paid with their lives for the misdeeds of their fathers. No one had a right to take the life of another human being and this applies to everyone more so to the officers of the state who are entrusted with the responsibility and authority of maintaining law and order. But when those officers in their quest for higher positions and promotions kill innocent people in fake encounters, what choices are left with the dependents and families of those killed in such encounters? I think this question merits serious thought and soul searching. The murders of innocent Sikhs in fake encounters have been fully documented and well published by renowned international agencies like Amnesty International.
It is not understood why Mr. Virk fails to recommend similar compensation to the dependents of those killed in fake police encounters and what right the police has to indulge in such actions. If any person is found indulging in criminal acts he should be arrested and apprehended by the police and action taken under the laws of the land.
As far as people like S. Virk are concerned they are not only trying to pay back the favors received in the past from their masters in the matter of posting of their sons and other relatives but also trying to build a bank of goodwill so that they can draw from this bank benefits and favors for their children and grandchildren.
Amarjit Singh Buttar Vernon, CT 06066 USA
Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1989
