The shocking daylight murder of a history-sheeter in front of his wife next to a national highway recently stirred a debate in the Tamil Nadu assembly. Responding to the opposition’s allegation that the state’s law and order has deteriorated, Chief Minister M K Stalin, who also holds the home portfolio, told the assembly that the number of murders in the state has actually fallen, with 1,540 reported in 2024—the lowest in 12 years. The chief minister’s response with hard data is appreciable, but it did little to address the perception of decline in the state’s law and order. The impression is there because headlines from the past year include a massive hooch tragedy, the killing of a popular Dalit leader in his own neighbourhood, and the murder of two men who were believed to have been whistleblowers. It did not help that the recent roadside hacking was recorded by passersby whose videos were widely shared.
There has also been a spurt in extrajudicial killings. In the past week alone, the state police have killed three men in encounters whose narratives follow a familiar script. It was preceded by months of reports of suspects shot in the leg or having their limbs broken when they “attempted to escape”. Such measures cannot be a remedy for the alleged deterioration of safety and discipline—on the contrary, they can project a state of lawlessness. In the long run, the perception of security cannot be improved by strong-arm tactics.
This January, Tamil Nadu's fifth Police Commission, headed by former Madras High Court Judge C T Selvam, recommended major reforms that included administrative changes in recruitment, training and policing, a pay rise for constables, and a stronger police-public relationship. In order to get a nuanced understanding of the issues facing the force, the commission invited human resource specialists to spend time with the rank and file. Among other things, they recommended regular sessions with mental health specialists. More can be achieved with tighter policing by a force that is well-rested, well-compensated and well-staffed, for which the recommended reforms must be enacted. The need for an overhaul cannot be put off by circumventing due process.