MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has recently asked the State government to explore the possibility of opening police well-being centres in other districts, similar to the Magizhchi counselling centre in Chennai. If lathi culture ceases to exist, we can even seriously think of repealing Section 25 (Confession to police officer not to be proved) of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the court said.
A Division Bench comprising Justices PN Prakash and R Hemalatha made the suggestion based on the recommendation made by Dr K Sekar, director of NIMHANS, Bengaluru, in the suo motu writ petition filed in connection with the Sathankulam custodial death case. While closing the suo motu petition, the judges recorded the statement made by Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu before the court through video conferencing that after the commencement of the police wellbeing programme, there was a reduction in the number of custodial deaths in the State.
“He exuded confidence that suicides among police personnel in the State would also remarkably reduce in the days to come,” the judges noted and said the State government should institutionalize such well-being programmes not only for the benefit of the police personnel but also for the common public, for whom the police lathi represents the power of the State.