Cops sit pretty on DGP8217;s videography circular

SURAT, Aug 2: Three months after the office of the Director-General of Police issued a circular instructing officials to videograph bodie...

SURAT, Aug 2: Three months after the office of the Director-General of Police issued a circular instructing officials to videograph bodies of under-30 women who had died of unnatural causes, and the scene of offence, top city police officials seem unaware of such instructions.

But they cannot be blamed for it, if officials are to believed, for constant transfers in the branch have impeded its circulation.

Talking to Express Newsline, Deputy Commissioner of Police Manoj Agarwal denied having knowledge of any such circular. 8220;I know that an DySP-level officer should investigate such cases, but I have no knowledge of videography,8221; he admitted.

According to information, repeated recommendations by Apamrutyu Nivaran Sanstha ANIS, a city-based voluntary organisation, followed by personal meetings with the DGP and Home Secretary in the past one year prompted the DGP to issue the circular G-1-C-T3-1497 on May 3, 1999, based on an order from the Home Ministry.

The circular directed investigating officials to videograph the scene of offence and the body of women who died due to unnatural causes within 10 years of marriage. There8217;s little chance of videographed statements being changed.

Talking to Express Newsline ANIS general secretary Girish Dholabhai claimed, 8220;I received a copy of the DGP directive from the Home ministry last week and that is how I came to know that at least one of our suggestions had been accepted.8221;

He added that the organisation had written to the government more than a year ago, suggesting that offence scenes, post-mortems and inquests be videographed and video cameras be provided to every police station.

Story continues below this ad

At least of now, the police have not begun videographing in all cases of unnatural deaths of women less than 30 years of age. Sources also said that although an inquiry into such cases were handed over to an officer of the ACP or a DySP level, they were usually carried out by lower ranked policemen.

While unnatural deaths, including ones due to burns, suicide by consuming poison, hanging and the like 8212; by admission of the policemen themselves 8212; are on the rise, many cases of bride burning, or driving a woman to death are often written off as accidental deaths because of lack of proper investigation. Hence ANIS has been working for the past few years to ensure that the police and FSL investigate unnatural deaths of women more seriously.

Interestingly, following a NHRC recommendation, the police have been directed to conduct videography of the post mortem of people dying in custody. But this procedure has not been extended to unnatural deaths outside police custody. Also, it was an ANIS office-bearer who reportedly informed a city ACP of the DGP directive a couple of days ago.