Police should remain neutral, not act as told by masters: Madras High Court

CHENNAI: Being a neutral agency, police should act independently. However, in Tamil Nadu, they act as instructed by their masters. The Madras High Court made scathing remarks on the police department for denying permission to the Puthiya Tamilagam Party to hold a demonstration at the eleventh hour.

Refusing to accept the counter affidavit filed by deputy commissioner of Triplicane Santhosh Hadimani -- against the PTP’s petition to quash the police order denying permission -- Justice P Velmurugan asked him on what grounds was the permission granted to Puthiya Tamilagam Party cancelled.

According to the counter, the police received reliable information that the turnout for the demonstration would exceed the permitted limit. Taking the venue of the event into account –

As the event venue Rajaratnam Stadium, Egmore, was a hotspot in the city, the police cancelled the permission to avoid vehicular traffic and inconvenience to people.

The counter further states that the representation given by the political party was not clear about the particulars of demonstration – such as the number of vehicles expected at the event; the police tried to contact the party representatives but got no response, hence the permission was cancelled.

The judge refused to accept the reasons and wondered "why all these reasons were not stated in the order denying the permission". This court cannot allow your invented reasons to escape the clutches of law, observed the judge.

"We are well aware of the responsibility of the police in maintaining public order, but they should not be the hand pump for certain political parties," the judge observed and reserved the order.

In his petition, PTP founder K Krishnasamy had also sought Rs one crore from the State as compensation for the loss incurred by the party.