Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday made it clear that mental stress was not a license for police officers to behave abusively with people and that the force was accountable to the public. It further stated such bad behaviour would not be countenanced or tolerated.
Justice Devan Ramachandran was hearing a matter in which a video of an officer of Alathur police station allegedly using "abusive vocatives" against a lawyer went viral. The lawyer was allegedly subjected to a verbal onslaught when he arrived at the police station to present a court order concerning a case.
The court was also informed by State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who appeared online that an additional circular was issued to ensure appropriate behaviour from police officers towards the citizens and to prevent using abusive vocatives against citizens.
“It may be that a few officers are guilty of such actions, but the stigma would be cast upon the entire force thus creating an affront on the collective dignity of the officers as also the citizens,” observed the Justice.
The court also found that at least 10 circulars were issued since 1965, and untoward incidents like this keep happening in the state. It stated that if instances of bad behaviour like this keep happening, that would mean that the circulars were not taken seriously by the police officers. The officer concerned, meanwhile, told the court that he was ready to tender an unconditional apology.
(With LiveLaw, PTI inputs)