Dowry Cases To Come Under Community Policing Plan

Source : The Tribune, Sunday, April 3, 2005, Chandigarh, India

Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 2
In a major policy shift, Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) in all five districts and three police districts in Patiala Zone have been asked to exercise restraint while proceeding against members of families charged under various dowry crimes.

The district police chiefs have been directed by Patiala Zonal Inspector-General of Police Rajinder Singh to arrest the accused in such cases only after a comprehensive inquiry.

Sources said these directions had been passed after a survey by the police revealed that a large number of false cases were being filed by women against their in-laws.

Besides asking the district police chiefs of Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Ropar, Jagraon and Khanna, which fall under the Patiala Zone, to exercise restraint, all have also been asked to take dowry cases under the ambit of the community policing programme.

This system has already started yielding results with 4,698 disputes being referred to various districts in the zone last year. As many as 3,673 cases were solved through reconciliation. The community cell solved another 369 cases through mutual divorce.

Zonal IG Rajinder Singh, when contacted, said it had been decided to change the police strategy with regard to dowry cases after reports that in some cases, members of the accused family had committed suicide because of the humiliation suffered by them. He said the force had been given specific directions on how they should react after a dowry case was registered.

"The SSPs have been asked not to raid the house of the accused after registration of a dowry case. Instead, the accused should be called for a meeting". He said it was also seen that sieze of dowry items did not help and that the items remained in police stations for years.

He said the police officers had been asked not to sieze such items. In order to ensure transparent functioning of the investigation officer in the case, the directions now held him responsible in case he made arrests not needed in the case.

The Investigating Officer would also be responsible for removing names of accused or relevant Sections from the FIR, if not proved, to ensure speedy and quick justice to the accused.