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Editorial · 2 min read · THE HINDU PAPER EDITORIAL

Police Excesses and Accountability: A Pattern of Violence Against Protesters

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The recent events in the national capital, where student demonstrations faced an egregious display of force by the Delhi Police and unidentified individuals, signify a profound breach of democratic norms and established crowd control protocols. Visual evidence, widely circulated across digital platforms, depicts a disturbing scene where police personnel, both in uniform and civilian attire, utilized disproportionate force with an apparent intent to intimidate and inflict harm, rather than merely to break up demonstrators. Reports of pellet injuries, yet to be adequately explained by authorities, add to the gravity of the situation. Instances captured on video, such as a senior police official slapping a female demonstrator and other individuals groping a retreating woman while colleagues appeared to stand by indifferent , expose a severe dereliction of duty and a profound disregard for human dignity. This alarming conduct mirrors a troubling historical pattern, recalling previous contentious encounters, including the unchecked violence at JNU in 2020 and the assault on students within the Jamia Millia Islamia library in 2019, instances that regrettably fell short of robust investigations and subsequent accountability. The Supreme Court of India's decision to take up these grievances, after initial procedural reservations, offers a vital avenue for justice. It signals hope that the systemic issues surrounding police excesses will finally be addressed. A thorough and impartial investigation is now paramount to ascertain the precise roles of all involved, scrutinize the authorization and proportionality of the force employed, and ensure that those responsible, particularly for heinous acts against women and minors, face up to the full force of the law. This episode critically underscores the need for urgent reforms in policing methodologies and a steadfast commitment to protecting fundamental rights. The continued occurrence of such incidents erodes public trust and jeopardizes the very foundations of a civil society, making immediate and decisive action imperative to uphold justice and prevent future recurrences of such state-sponsored violence.

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Vocabulary from this Editorial

Affront noun

An action or remark that causes outrage or offense.

Synonyms: insult, offense, slight

"The government's new policy was seen as a deliberate affront to the marginalized communities."

Ascertain verb

Find something out for certain; make sure of.

Synonyms: determine, discover, confirm

"Investigators are working to ascertain the cause of the sudden system failure."

Avenue noun

A way of approaching a problem or making progress towards something.

Synonyms: channel, means, route

"The new collaboration offers a promising avenue for research and development."

Breach noun

An act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.

Synonyms: violation, infraction, transgression

"The company faced severe penalties for its data breach."

Circulated verb

Pass from place to place or person to person.

Synonyms: distributed, spread, propagated

"The news of the merger quickly circulated throughout the financial markets."

Commitment noun

The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

Synonyms: dedication, devotion, allegiance

"Her commitment to public service was evident in her tireless work for the community."

Contentious adj

Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.

Synonyms: disputable, arguable, debatable

"The proposed changes to the tax law are highly contentious."

Dereliction noun

The state of having been abandoned and become dilapidated; shameful failure to fulfill one's obligations.

Synonyms: neglect, failure, abandonment

"The officer was charged with dereliction of duty for failing to respond to the emergency call."

Disproportionate adj

Too large or too small in comparison with something else.

Synonyms: excessive, immoderate, unbalanced

"The punishment seemed disproportionate to the minor offense."

Disregard noun

The fact of showing no respect for someone or something; treating as unworthy of consideration.

Synonyms: contempt, indifference, neglect

"His blatant disregard for safety regulations led to a serious accident."

Disturbing adj

Causing anxiety; worrying.

Synonyms: alarming, troubling, upsetting

"The recent rise in unemployment figures is very disturbing."

Egregious adj

Outstandingly bad; shocking.

Synonyms: flagrant, atrocious, abominable

"The CEO was fired for egregious misconduct that harmed the company's reputation."

Erodes verb

Gradually wear away (soil, rock, or something abstract like trust or confidence).

Synonyms: deteriorates, corrodes, diminishes

"Lack of transparency slowly erodes public trust in government institutions."

Gravity noun

Extreme importance or seriousness; solemnity.

Synonyms: seriousness, severity, significance

"The court understood the gravity of the charges against the defendant."

Heinous adj

(Of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.

Synonyms: atrocious, abhorrent, monstrous

"The perpetrators of such heinous crimes must face justice."

Imperative adj

Of vital importance; crucial.

Synonyms: crucial, essential, vital

"It is imperative that all safety measures are strictly followed."

Impartial adj

Treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just.

Synonyms: unbiased, neutral, objective

"The judge assured both parties that she would deliver an impartial ruling."

Indifferent adj

Having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.

Synonyms: apathetic, unconcerned, disinterested

"The public remained indifferent to the political scandal, showing a lack of engagement."

Intimidate verb

Frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants.

Synonyms: frighten, threaten, coerce

"The union leaders tried to intimidate the workers into joining the strike."

Jeopardizes verb

Put (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure.

Synonyms: endangers, threatens, risks

"Poor financial management jeopardizes the stability of the entire organization."

Methodologies noun

A system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity.

Synonyms: approaches, procedures, techniques

"The research team developed new methodologies for data analysis."

Mirrors verb

Reflect or correspond to.

Synonyms: reflects, mimics, replicates

"The decline in sales mirrors the general downturn in the economy."

Paramount adj

More important than anything else; supreme.

Synonyms: supreme, foremost, principal

"Ensuring customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to our business."

Procedural adj

Relating to or constituting a procedure.

Synonyms: methodical, systematic, administrative

"The lawyer raised a procedural objection regarding the evidence presented."

Profound adj

Very great or intense; (of a state, quality, or emotion) very deep.

Synonyms: deep, intense, great

"The speaker's words had a profound impact on the audience."

Proportionality noun

The quality of corresponding in size, degree, or intensity to something else.

Synonyms: balance, equivalence, correspondence

"The police force is often judged on the proportionality of its response to public unrest."

Regrettably adverb

In a way that expresses regret or disappointment.

Synonyms: unfortunately, sadly, lamentably

"Regrettably, the project was cancelled due to budget cuts."

Scrutinize verb

Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Synonyms: examine, inspect, analyze

"Auditors will scrutinize the financial records for any discrepancies."

Steadfast adj

Resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.

Synonyms: resolute, unwavering, loyal

"Despite the challenges, she remained steadfast in her commitment to her goals."

Systemic adj

Relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.

Synonyms: widespread, pervasive, fundamental

"The report highlighted the systemic issues within the healthcare industry."

Phrasal Verbs

break up

To cause a group of people to separate and go in different directions.

"The police intervened to break up the unlawful assembly."

slapping

To hit (someone or something) with the open hand or a flat object.

"The child was playfully slapping the water in the tub."

stand by

To be present while something bad happens but not do anything to stop it; to support someone.

"He couldn't just stand by and watch his friend being bullied."

fell short of

To fail to reach an expected or required standard or level.

"The team's performance fell short of expectations, leading to their elimination."

take up

To start dealing with or discussing something.

"The committee decided to take up the issue of housing affordability next week."

face up to

To confront and deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation or person.

"You need to face up to your responsibilities and stop avoiding them."

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