By not filing FIRs in genuine cases of cognizable offence, the police end up giving criminals the licence to strike in the same locality again and again. For example, Manickaraj, employed in an IT major in Chennai, became the target of the same crime twice in the same locality. The police simply couldn’t be bothered with filing FIRs on both occasions.
In the first incident, the front wheel of his 200 cc bike parked in front of his house was stolen. Manickaraj approached the Velachery Police Station to lodge a complaint. He was made to visit the same police station four times as the crime inspector was busy cracking “more important” cases.
At last, the inspector turned up and Manickaraj informed about the theft of his wheel, but the cop refused to believe. He accepted a written complaint filed by the techie, but did not register an FIR.
Manickaraj then bought a new front wheel for his bike. Two months later, the front wheel was again stolen. “I went back to the same police station. But, by then there was another inspector and I told him that this was the second time it has happened in the same locality. This time too, the inspector thought I was lying. When I pressed my point, cops suggested that I file a complaint claiming that the whole bike was lost. That way I can claim the insurance money and sell the rest of the vehicle, they reasoned.”
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