NIA officer's killing puts Uttar Pradesh's law and order situation under a cloud

Hours after Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Javeed Ahmad gave a good dressing down to the field staff, specially the district Superintendents of Police (SPs), in his Police Week address, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) functionary was sprayed with bullets about 325 km from the state capital. The incident proved that the DGP’s concern was serious. Though the extent of the damage done may be ascertained later, the crime surely raises a question mark on the policing in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2555674” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Uttar Pradesh police. AFP[/caption] Mohammed Tanzil, a liaison officer with the NIA probing Pathankot terrorist attack in India, was killed near Sahaspur, under Syohara police station area in Bijnor district, when he was returning after attending the marriage of his niece, late Saturday night. He and his wife, also injured in the attack, were rushed to Cosmos hospital in Moradabad, but Tanzil succumbed. His wife, who was shifted to Kailash Hospital in Noida, is in serious condition. NIA officials and IG, UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Aseem Arun have already reached the spot and is investigating the killing of Tanzil, in view of the sensitive nature of his present assignment. Tanzil, originally from the Border Security Force, was a liaison officer of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), when officials from Pakistan had come to visit the Pathankot air base. The police, however, is tight-lipped over the nature of attack, as his assailants came out of nowhere on motorcycles and managed to escape the spot after shooting him 21 times. The slain officer’s brother, Ranghib, has refused to believe his brother could have personal enmity with anyone as he was viewed as a jovial person. When contacted, UP DGP Javeed Ahmad said as per the preliminary reports, the assailants had come from the nearby village and prima facie, it doesn’t look like a part of a broader plan or any terrorist ramifications. “It is early to reach any conclusions,” he added. No matter what emerges after the probe into this case, the law and order situation of Uttar Pradesh is going to be under a cloud once again. Senior officers are being defied everyday by subordinates who get postings from ‘somewhere’ at the top and can afford to ignore the superior officers. This incident provides ample scope to discuss UP’s law and order afresh. In his address at Police Week, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was right when he said the functioning of police reflects the image of the government. As always, Akhilesh was apt in theory, but in terms of implementation, he is seen to fall short of what is required in the state with a population of 21 crore. At least in the last year of his government, he should understand that he needs to put in place some really good police officers. “Statistics of over a lakh murders, and about 3,000 rapes during the last four years speak volumes of the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh,’’ the state BJP president Laxmikant Bajpayee says.