Consider for a while the irony of a massive witch-hunt unleashed against Muslim youth on the basis of accounts provided by untrustworthy policemen.

Does anybody have a count of how many police officers (from the glamorous IPS to the lowly beat constable) have been sent to jail over last five years for extortion, extrajudicial killing, kidnapping, robbery, rape and custodial murder? The number of such policemen would be substantial.

Also consider the fact that possibly no more than one percent of acts of police criminality are reported. And fewer are convicted. Now, imagine the extent of the rot in our police forces. Even more galling is the fact that a massive witch-hunt has been started against Muslim youth on the basis of "investigation", testimony and reports provided by such dubious people.

The transparently contradictory reports of these policemen about Muslim youth have been taken as gospel truth. A section of the media, which has been publishing and telecasting cock-and-bull stories of the police uncritically, is partly responsible for this state of affairs. It also remains a fact that if the police ever dare to make such unsubstantiated allegations about more influential groups, the same section of the media would not take them uncritically.

The Roll of Police Dishonour is too long to be cited here. It would suffice to mention the latest addition to this roll: Delhi Police (Crime Branch) Inspector K.G. Tyagi, Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajbir and Sub-Inspector Mukesh. These three were arrested in Delhi along with a lawyer, Ravinder Chaddha on October 17 for "milking over Rs. 24 lakh" from a businessman's son. The businessman was falsely implicated in a murder case.

Tyagi has been described as one of the "much-decorated and most-trusted" officers of Delhi Police. The three policemen and the lawyer were nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which was tailing them following complaints of extortion filed by the businessman's son. Ask the media persons blowing the police trumpet on "Muslim terrorism" whether they would buy a used car from people like Tyagi. They will not trust them with their money. Yet, they will continue to believe their cock and bull stories about Muslim youth.
 

Ataur Rahman, IOSCA