Brutality to order

The calculated brutality of the murder of a Muslim shopkeeper in Padiabeda village, Mayurbhanj district, is shocking and more so because it was allegedly masterminded by Dara Singh whom the Orissa police, ostensibly, have been hunting for the last seven months. From the look of things, Dara Singh leads a charmed life, appearing out of nowhere with a horde of like-minded thugs, committing unspeakable crimes and disappearing from sight again. The arm of the law, it would seem, is too feeble to reach him. There was the same signature savagery in the Padiabeda crime as in the other killings ascribed to Dara Singh last January when the Australian missionary, Graham Stewart Staines and his two young sons were set upon while asleep and done to death. In both incidents Singh is cited as the prime accused and leader of the gang. Every enquiry into the Staines murders, including the Wadhwa commission, named him. But he remained at large and concerned people in many parts of the world where the murders were reportedwere left to wonder whether the criminals would ever be apprehended.

In the Padiabeda case, he has been identified by a local home guard and senior officers assert he is directly involved in the murder. Local communal tension and popular protests in Mayurbhanj district put additional pressure on the police to produce results this time. Despite the evidence of his involvement, it is anyone8217;s guess whether Dara Singh will indeed be brought to book. It is hard to believe that the well-known incompetence of the Orissa police is the only reason why he has not been arrested during the last seven months. If the news media could find him and put him on television, the police surely could track him down too. There cannot be a shortage of information about his whereabouts at any point in time since he operates with gangs of villagers any number of whom could, without much persuasion, lead the cops to him. What it boils down to is the lack of will on the part of the police and behind that lies the commonplace fact ofpolitical interference with police work.

The simple truth is, Dara Singh enjoys political patronage. Where exactly this comes from today is as yet a matter of some speculation. Although the Wadhwa commission was unable to throw light on the issue, the general suspicion remains that Dara Singh has the backing of communal elements in several states. In any case, he is known to have had links in the past in more than one political party. What is more, the two criminal cases in which he is named as the prime accused show there was clear political motivation behind them. There are no two ways about it: a criminal of such notoriety who can strike at will in an organised fashion and get away with it does have powerful mentors. He must be apprehended and prosecuted forthwith. It is essential to do so not only in the interests of justice but in order to discover and break the nexus between his criminal gangs and communal or other politicians. Strong words of condemnation from all political quarters must be followedby action. There can be no law and order when powerful interests hire brutal criminals to further their aims and the police are helpless to do anything about it.