An officer or a thug?
Two army officers—majors, to boot—are arrested by police after being accused of molesting a woman at a new year’s eve party. That’s bad enough. What followed was worse. Soldiers in uniform, led by another army officer—a lieutenant colonel this time—barged into the police station, brandished weapons and sprung their colleagues from jail. Scenes from Pakistan, you would think. Shockingly, it happened in Kolkata.
The comparison with Pakistan, though, stops at this point, as it should. The Kolkata Police are not letting this be. And within hours Defence Minister A K Anthony and the Army headquarters have instructed the Eastern Command to institute a staff court of inquiry. Whether they are held accountable for their actions under civil or military law is largely a matter of procedure—they must be tried swiftly and handed down exemplary punishments if found guilty.
The arrest of two army officers has been reported in the entire gamut of media branding them as if they are guilty. There cannot be worst example of media trial. Has the Kolkatta police arrested them under culpable offence after registrering the case which may prima-facie declare the two officers guilty? Has any complainant come forward to register the complaint with the police? Are army personnel not allowed to join the civilized life on new year eve when entire nation has induldged in the new year revellary? The powers that be have decided to teach a lesson to army personnel who have served with distinction at Siachin before coming to Kolkatta perhaps without verifyiing the role of the Park Street police. Is not it a reverse highhanded role of police Vis-a-vis Noida police? This is high time that media reconsiders its role towards armed forces and its personnel.
KR Bhati,
Other than the courts, no one—neither the police nor the media–has any business pre-judging the two majors. The media reports don’t get into details, so let’s assume that the Kolkata cops wrongly locked-up the army officers. A responsible superior officer would not, in these circumstances, drive to the police station with his troops and weapons and use force to retrieve his officers. It may well be high-handed behaviour by the police. The appropriate response by the army officer would have been to take it up through official channels.
Three cheers to the Indian Army for teaching the commie thugs a lesson for booking false charges against the innocent officers.Next time these thugs will think a million times before squeaking in front of the army.
Apollo,
You want an award for the funniest comment or something? 🙂
Sure nitin. I will take that bottle of Champagne. It’s a happy new year 😉
Jai Hind.
Setu Madhavan (exoticbronze@hotmail.com)
setu madhavan,
what is the source for ur story?
btw, i’am very happy that the Armymen thrashed the police.they should have skinned them alive instead for this misdemeanour.
Setu Madhavan,
Your version of events is dramatically different from most other narratives. While I agree that the political class falls over itself in such matters, I would ask why not a single major media source had a substantially different account. So Rashomon-like, no?
It is not for this blog to pass judgement. Nevertheless as Apollo says, citing a source will make your account credible among the readers of this blog.
Even if your account is substantiated, I still find the CO wanting. He should have shown greater judgement and had greater control over his troops, and prevented the situation from becoming what it has.
Nitin,
Let me begin by answering your questions with a few questions of my own.
Thanks.
Setu Madhavan (exoticbronze@hotmail.com)
Nitin,
For what its worth here is ‘Outlook’ magazine reporting on what our ‘beloved’ Kolkata cops did. You have already made it clear that no matter how true my statements are – about Police highhandedness in this case – you would still blame the Army. But anyways… here is the ‘Outlook’ article.
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070112&fname=kolkatakorner&sid=1&pn=1
Thanks for reading,
Setu Madhavan (exoticbronze@hotmail.com)
Setu Madhavan,
You’ll notice that I don’t blame the army. What I’m saying is that the CO is accountable, at all times, and in all situations, for the men he commands. Heck, one half of the four cardinal principles they taught us at NCC is “…make no excuses”. I think it’s one of the most important principle for commanders.
From the Outlook story:
I’m glad that the media has begun to focus on the other side of the story. If the commission of inquiry finds this version to be accurate, then it can be offered in mitigation.
Thanks for keeping track of this story, and I welcome you to post updates. If you are quoting an external source, you could paste the excerpt and cite the link, instead of quoting in toto.