There has been much talk about Kerala Police’s modernisation drive — embracing artificial intelligence, cyber policing, integrated beat management and a range of specialised digital systems aimed at making the force smarter and more efficient.
Yet, when officers confront a violent or unpredictable accused on the ground, the tool at hand often remains quite basic: the lathi.
At least six reported incidents involving police or prison personnel in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram over the past two months have brought this contrast into focus. The incidents, involving at least 12 personnel, include assaults during crowd-control operations, arrests and drug-related operations.
Speaking to TNIE, State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar terms them “isolated attacks” but acknowledges the need to “constantly improve the professional handling of violent or unpredictable accused”.
“Instructions have been issued to police officers to conduct training based on real-life situations, including house searches, arrests and encounters with people displaying violent behaviour,” he explains.
“We should anticipate the possible threats, prepare accordingly and improve our tactics so that there is no injury to police personnel.”
The training, he says, would include simulations of situations in which accused persons may suddenly become violent, particularly in drug-related cases.
“District-level officers have been instructed to conduct such exercises and ensure that personnel are familiar with protective equipment such as helmets and body protection,” he adds.
The challenge, however, is whether such preparedness can keep pace with the changing nature of violence encountered by the force.
Former state police chief T P Senkumar does not sound confident. He argues that the equipment available to frontline officers remains limited compared with the range of situations they face of late.
“When police go to a law-and-order situation or for patrol, the lathi remains the primary equipment available to them. Except in some cases, such as night patrols, some personnel may carry a small firearm,” he says.
“Earlier, officers never felt the need to carry a weapon, be it day or at night. But the situation has changed now. Considering the kind of violence and the circumstances in which policemen are being attacked today, officers, particularly those out on night duty, should be equipped with firearms for self-defence. Of course, they should be trained well to use them.”
Senkumar also points to the wider availability of non-lethal equipment in some foreign police forces, including pepper spray and other devices designed to incapacitate or control a person without causing grievous injury.
“Hence, discussion on such tools is imperative as violence involving people under the influence of drugs and attacks by groups at night present a different challenge from the situations police personnel are traditionally trained for,” he adds.
“There was a time when the sight of the police uniform itself created a sense of deterrence. That has changed.”
Senkumar also flags another aspect of frontline preparedness — the physical and professional fitness of personnel.
“Police work involves irregular working hours, leaving officers with limited opportunities for exercise and structured training,” he says.
“In-service training needs to be strengthened and made available regularly throughout an officer’s career.”
Former DGP Rishiraj Singh bats for the lathi. “It will never become obsolete,” he says. He, however, adds that there are “different methods for dealing with different emergencies”.
“The larger question is whether each type of crime and emergency is being met with the appropriate method, equipment and training,” he says.
A serving officer sounds pessimistic. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he says that “fear does strike”.
“There is a limit to what police can do. We cannot simply take out a gun and fire as they may do in films or some other countries,” he says.
“We have to physically tackle suspects even when they are violent and unpredictable. We do receive training, but that may not be enough when, say, two officers take on a gang of five under the influence of narcotics. You must have heard in the news, many criminals roam with knives, machetes and even air guns these days.”
Another officer, who also requests anonymity, highlights devices such as conducted-energy weapons, used by some police forces elsewhere, as one possibility that could be examined.
Rubber bullets and net-wrap or lasso-style restraint devices are other options, he adds.
“I am not advocating wanton use of such weapons. They can, however, be introduced with proper safeguards in place,” he says.
“Currently, we are not even officially permitted to use pepper spray. Yet, many buy them with their own money for self-defence. We are not brute machines like you see in some films. Our job is to keep society safe. But we are also human. We too have families.”
Some Recent Attacks
August 31 | Manaveeyam Veedhi, Thiruvananthapuram: CPO Sreejith was allegedly hit on the head with a helmet while police dispersed an Onam crowd. He required six stitches.
September 7 | Kochi: An ASI was allegedly assaulted by private bus employee Muhammed Anzar during an attempted arrest.
September 12 I Maradu, Kochi: Three officers were allegedly attacked by an MDMA case accused inside the police station. Two suffered fractures/dislocation.
September 14 | Aruvikkara, Thiruvananthapuram: A police team was allegedly attacked while responding to a clash; a police jeep was also damaged.
September 14 | Njalakam, Kalamassery: Four personnel were allegedly assaulted while attempting to put two accused into a police jeep.
September 1 | Thiruvanthapuram: Two District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force officers were attacked by a youngster on Shankhumukham Road