‘For change, police need to be victim-oriented’

LUCKNOW: Starting a session on how victim-oriented policing can make a difference in the society, former IPS officer AP Maheswari said, “Hamein teer bhi chalaana hai, aur parinda bhi bachana hai (We have to shoot, yet save the bird).
Speaking on the second day of the two-day Metaphor Litfest at Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Maheshwari drew out of his personal experience of over 37 years as a soldier, policeman and head of the Central Reserve Police Force to share stories of change where the victim-oriented approach helped police get to the root of exploitation in the society.“There was a destitute orphan and listening to his story gave us deeper insight into the scale of ordeal several such street children face and it helped us make a tangible difference,” he recalled.
“Studying exploitation of Adivasi women in Banda and the discrimination they suffered helped us understand the issue and bring positive change in their lives. So, when police and public connect, positive changes come about,” said Maheshwari, who has highlighted many such facets in his book ‘Hukum!: Stories Where Police Could Make A Difference’. He suggested that policing in India should become service-oriented. “In other countries, police are service-oriented. If your vehicle breaks down, police help and fix it. In India, laws aren’t facile and denies or restricts certain movements, he said.