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KPS Gill doesn't deserve the respect of being a super cop

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Sanjiv Krishan Sood
Sanjiv Krishan SoodJun 14, 2017 | 13:51

KPS Gill doesn't deserve the respect of being a super cop

IPS officer KPS Gill, twice director general of Punjab Police, died last month (May) after prolonged illness. The late officer is largely credited with bringing militancy in Punjab under control and is considered to be an iconic police officer.

Gill happened to be in the saddle when militancy finally ended in Punjab, but the methods used by him in doing so were generally in conflict with legal and constitutional provisions. His actions have resulted in deaths and disappearance of several innocent people. He left such a legacy behind that the Punjab Police had become largely dehumanised and many of its members still do not think twice before resorting to outright extortion and brute force against innocents.

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It is his legacy that makes the general population and especially the neo-nationalists denounce the Supreme Court without giving a second thought for its order on filing of FIRs in all cases of encounters by security forces. Several WhatsApp warriors have floated posts criticising the Supreme Court on this account.

It is this utter contempt for human rights encouraged by the actions of the likes of Gill that make the social media warriors justify the recent act of using a “human shield” by an Army officer, who in my view should have been court-martialed just like the Israeli soldier who resorted to similar violation of human rights against an innocent Palestinian. On the contrary, the Indian Army has chosen to reward him with a letter of commendation.

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KPS Gill is credited with bringing militancy in Punjab under control, but his methods were generally in conflict with the legal and constitutional provisions.

The same social media warriors, who so passionately recommend harsh measures irrespective of the fact whether a person is innocent or otherwise, cry hoarse when they themselves are on the receiving end of police action or other security forces.

The orders of Gill have brought many Punjab Police personnel to grief. In fact, an SP-level officer had committed suicide in 1997, because he was facing several inquiries against human rights violations and custodial killings. The Punjab Police is learnt to have been compelled to start a brand new department to supervise and pursue the litigations against police personnel relating to militancy era.

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The police personnel facing criminal cases because of alleged human rights violations must have acted on the orders of Gill and it was his moral responsibility to stand by them. He chose to keep quiet instead.

His conduct reminds me of the last scene of the 1992 Tom Cruise-starrer A Few Good Men, where the accused marine after being pronounced guilty and awarded punishment is inconsolable and cries out as to why was he being punished for carrying out orders of his superior.

Not standing up and protecting his subordinates by owning up his orders was his biggest failure as a leader and, therefore, anyone who thinks of him as an iconic figure is not thinking rationally. 

It would be incorrect to state that Gill had no role in curbing militancy in Punjab. However, several measures taken by his predecessor Julio Ribeiro proved very helpful to Gill in formulating his strategy. Ribeiro’s no-nonsense approach to curtail militancy through what can be termed as ferocious crackdown on militants had put them on defensive.

The groundswell against militancy had already been built up. The popular sentiment in Punjab had turned against militants because of their waywardness, extortions and acts of rape that they indulged in. The public had come to realise that the militants were no longer driven by ideology.

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It is this resentment that helped Gill organise better intelligence network and carry out surprise actions against militants. This could perhaps be termed as his biggest contribution to curtailing militancy.

The police which had till the mid-1980s played a passive role also turned against militants because they had started targeting their kith and kin. This helped Gill to motivate the police to fight back. Some measures like night domination exercise by police and security forces were initiated and they proved very effective.  

Another factor that contributed to curbing militancy was the completion of the construction of a fence along the border with Pakistan in Punjab by the time Gill took over the reins of the Punjab Police. This effectively cut off the weapon supply chain of militants and also their source of finance by severely curtailing the free movement from across the borders.

Militancy apart, Gill had other serious failings. The notorious Rupan Deol Bajaj case is in point. Such misdemeanour would have attracted severe punishment/reprimand from the government but for the stature he had acquired in the eyes of the powers that be. He was ultimately punished by the courts.

That he contributed to the deterioration of the standards of Indian hockey through his whimsical and dictatorial policies is no secret. The effect continues so far and it is somewhat heartening to see the Indian hockey team trying to regain its past glory after he was forced to quit the Indian Hockey Federation.

I, therefore, would certainly not recommend young officers to emulate KPS Gill as a leader.

Last updated: June 14, 2017 | 13:58
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