"Wake up from slumber", make police more effective: HC  

Allahabad, July 9: Taking a grim view of the law and order in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has asked state government to "wake up from slumber and take remedial measures to make the police force more active and people-oriented".

In an order passed on July 6, a division bench, comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Shashi Kant, directed the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary (Home) and the Secretary (Appointment) to "take appropriate steps and finalize schemes so as to make UP Police a real law and order enforcing machinery which should appear to be working and bring confidence of people back".

The court also noted "the real problem lies with officials responsible for investigation. It appears that they lack basic knowledge and technique. Everything proceeds in a casual fashion".

Expressing dissatisfaction at the tardy investigation process, the court said that it demonstrated "reluctant casual process of investigation done by concerned officials. "Probably, it is for this reason that crime in the state of UP is widespread.

every person residing in this state is afraid that anything may happen any time. There is no confidence in law-enforcing machinery. The law and order situation is really very vulnerable," the bench said.

"Learned Additional Advocate General, present in the court, at one point of time finds himself option-less but to concede about deteriorating condition of law and order in the state of UP and also failure on the part of police not only in prevention of crime but also detection/investigation and prosecution," the court added.

The court made the observations while disposing of a petition filed by one Shahida of Saharanpur district who had moved the court alleging police inaction in the matter of the abduction and rape of her daughter.

PTI