Reporter’s Diary: Crime suspects escape ‘third degree’ with medical records

In order to get a ‘soft’ treatment from the cops, the suspects now come with a clutch of medical records. And the men in khaki are forced to go slow on the offenders, for fear of being pulled up for ‘giving the treatment.’ 

One city cop this reporter spoke to said, “Most of them are diabetic, and tell us that they have to take medication at particular hours as prescribed. We are scared even to touch some of the accused, because if something happens to them, we would be in trouble,” he said laughing. “In some cases, unless the accused gives us some key information, the investigation would not move forward. So, we have to make them feel comfortable and act friendly, so that they open up. It takes at least a week these days,” the officer added.

There are other ploys too to put the brakes on the police. An officer attached to MGR Nagar police said that if somebody is arrested, immediately a huge crowd, claiming to belong to some fringe political party, would throng the police station and accuse the police of treating the suspect ‘brutally.’ Police personnel nowadays have to tread a cautious path in order to avoid being dragged into controversy,” he said.