Bhopal News: Police Shield Their Own As Plaints Pile Up

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In Madhya Pradesh, police officers appear to be shielding their own from legal action, with only a handful facing arrest despite thousands of complaints. Recent incidents in Seoni and Bhopal have highlighted the pattern of protection within the force.

Ten police personnel were suspended in Seoni for looting Rs 1.45 crore, while two policemen in Bhopal allegedly killed an engineer for refusing to pay a bribe. Yet, data shows disciplinary or criminal action against erring personnel remains minimal.

A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report reveals the extent of internal shielding in major cities, indicating that officers are often reluctant to act against their colleagues even when wrongdoing is evident.

3,804 complaints in 4 cities

According to the NCRB, a total of 3,804 complaints were filed against police in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior in 2023. Gwalior topped the list with 1,603 complaints, followed by Indore (1,103), Bhopal (744) and Jabalpur (277). Despite the large number of grievances, only 25 policemen were arrested, and chargesheets were filed in just 38 cases, raising doubts about the accountability of the force.

Most investigations found valid

Investigations were ordered against 50 personnel in Bhopal, 23 in Gwalior, 43 in Indore and one in Jabalpur. Of these, 42 probes were completed in Bhopal, with 41 complaints found valid.

In Gwalior, 22 of 23 complaints were confirmed, while in Indore, 32 of 34 were proven true. The lone inquiry in Jabalpur also upheld the complaint, showing that most investigations found merit, even as few led to real action.