ENCOUNTER KILLINGS – A EUPHEMISM FOR POLICE MURDER

ON October 7, the TN police found themselves in of the State the 'dock' Human Rights Commission to explain a statement made by A Elangovan, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tiruvottiyur, to the wife of a history-sheeter Praveen @ Kuttagai that if he did not behave properly, his hands and legs would be broken, and if he engaged in murder, he might be killed in an encounter.

- V SURESH

The statement - or 'threat' was caught on video even as the ACP stood before Praveen's house, accompanied by a posse of policemen. Praveen (allegedly involved in 10 cases, including a murder) has gone missing since the murder of former BSP leader Armstrong on July 5.

The SHRC order notes that the panel cannot remain a mute spectator when threats are given by policemen to the family members of accused.

The commission also directed A Arun, Commissioner of Police, Chennai, to appear before the panel on October 14 and explain what he meant in a statement he made while assuming office -- that the police "would speak to rowdies in a language they understood" -and the kind of instructions he had given to his subordinate officers.