Rajendra Dhar
POLICE WATCH INDIA (Regd. NGO).
Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, Section 149
149. Police to prevent cognizable offences.
Every police officer may enter upon for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent the commission of any cognizable offence.
Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, Section 150
150. Information of design to commit cognizable offences.
Every police officer receiving information of a design to commit any cognizable offence shall communicate such information to the police officer to whom he is subordinate, and to ally other officer whose duty it is to prevent or take cognizance of the commission of any such offence.
Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, Section 151
151. Arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences.
(1) A police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a Magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented.
(2) No person arrested under sub-section (1) shall be detained in custody for a period exceeding twenty-four hours from the time of his arrest unless his further detention is required or authorized under any other provisions of this Code or of any other law for the time being in force.
EVERY DAY many people go to the Police to file/lodge Information/Complaints as regards Criminal Conspiracies etc. which eventually would eventually culminate in the Crime being committed (falling within the purview of Sections 149, 150 & 151 Code of Criminal Procedure) but unfortunately they are rarely reduced to writing leave alone Recording/Registering such Information/Complaints. The Police never take cognizance of such Information, Complaints and no action is taken by the Police even after the Crime has been committed which could have been prevented and the Police as a result of not taking preventive action are aiding and abetting the Commission of Crime of which prior information had been given to them and as such accomplices to the Crime so committed.
ANOTHER MAJOR REASON why Crime is on the increase, a down to earth fact though denied by the Police on the basis of the gruesome fact that every possible mean and method is employed by the Police not to Register F.I.R.s and if something is not recorded (especially crime), it is so simple to say that there is no crime.
PREVENTION OF CRIME IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE POLICING WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS NON-EXISTENT IN INDIA. WHEREVER STRESS IS LAID ON CRIME PREVENTION, THE CRIME RATE IN REALITY IS LOW.
Mere Sloganeering “HELP US PREVENT CRIME”, “BE OUR EYES & EARS” And Organizing Of “CRIME PREVENTION WEEK” (Merely Unproductive Formalities & Publicity Stunts) By The Police Carries No Meaning As It Is Has Never Been Taken Seriously By The Police In India And Are As A Matter Of Fact Meaningless And Worthless. The Day The Police Lays Forceful Stress And Emphasis On Crime Prevention And Takes Meaningful Action, The Crime Rate In Reality Is Going To Show A Sharp Decline And That Is For Sure.
WE HOPE THAT THE POLICE FORCE WAKES UP TO REALITY and immediately takes much desired appropriate concrete measures to inculcate in itself the culture and duty bound habit of CRIME PREVENTION AS, CRIME PREVENTION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR BASICS TO EFFECTIVE POLICING WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN AND IS NON-EXISTENT IN INDIA, but is also largely responsible for the spurt in the crime rate.
TRAFFIC POLICE PATROLLING HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN INDIA & THE DAY IT IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY IT WILL ALSO HELP IN PREVENTING & REDUCING INCIDENCE OF CRIME TO A LARGE EXTENT.
Lastly we are sure that everybody has heard and/or read the age old saying “PREVENTION IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE & THAT’S FOR SURE”. Whosoever has ignored it has paid a heavy price.
