KOCHI: Police haven’t changed their colonial attitude despite the court’s order to stop using derogatory words in addressing citizens, the high court said on Wednesday.
While considering petitions alleging police harassment, Justice Devan Ramachandran said police are functioning as if they are stuck in colonial times despite repeated directions being issued by the high court.
“No matter how many times we say, our police force won’t change. They will continue with the attitude and system we had in colonial times, a hundred years ago,” Justice Ramachandran said.
The court criticized the police after a case alleging that police addressed a doctor as ‘eda’ (a disrespectful Malayalam term for ‘you’) came up before it. A doctor who was travelling in a car with his family was stopped by police and addressed as ‘eda’ and verbally abused, it was alleged.
Asking whether the police still don’t know how to use civilized language, the court said the petitioners coming before it are responsible citizens. “Is this country only for police officers to live in? When this kind of language is used against a doctor, shouldn’t there be an inquiry?” Justice Ramachandran asked. The court pointed out that the state police chief has already issued a circular as directed by the court and that the court had declared that such words should not be used.
Considering a case of attack on a nursing assistant on her way back from Covid duty, the court asked police to pull up its socks and to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. “There are several such brave ladies on the road after dark, returning back from their duty. If there are antisocial elements regularly tracking their time and movements, then it is a case that causes us grave concern,” the court said while asking police to be more vigilant in providing protection to healthcare workers.
The court also said Covid-19 is spreading like wildfire and that even senior advocates of the high court are getting infected.
