[Reader-list] The decline of the ‘encounter death’

[Taha Mehmood]

On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 6:30 AM, bipin <aliens at dataone.in> wrote:

> You are right, Indian police working very neutrally in almost everywhere
> and there is no question of any bias behavior by them. They target criminal
> and terrorists only.
>
>

Dear All, Dear Bipin,

Thank you for your response. Please forgive me but why do I get this feeling
that every time, you kneel down to bow before a perception which seem to
portray our pathetic system in a non-communal light, it seems as if you
inadvertently expose your khaki chaddis.

Sir, have you come across a figure that there has been almost 7000 custodial
deaths in India between 2002-07 and as some national dailies suggest that,
'Four persons die in jail or police custody every day in India,' (
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=f49af966-b5c6-47a1-af33-f0566d0525b7).

Mr. Swami has done his analysis while relying on a category called,
'encounter deaths' and on the basis of this minute categorical imagination
he asserts, 'Put simply, there is no evidence to support the claim that
there is an
increased incidence of extra-judicial executions of Muslims — or, for that
matter, Hindus'. But please tell me, Sir,  must we to take his word for
granted or should we put his hypothesis to more stringent testing?

 Even during the publication of Sacchar committee report the data on the
religious make up of our one thousand three hundred and thirty six prisons
was withheld. I wonder why? I do not think that data on 'encounter deaths'
alone is in any way indicative of a view that the attitude of the Indian
police towards Muslims is changing.

Although I would hope otherwise.

Regards

Taha