Times View There is no doubt that the incident in which notorious criminal Vikram Singh’s gang opened fire at the Behror police station and escaped with the gangster was a demoralising one for the police department that shattered its image irreparably. But in what seems like a retaliatory move, the cops have paraded the accused in the Behror market in bare clothing. The highly questionable decision is not only a violation of basic human rights but a public shaming that saw the police taking law into their own hands. At a time when parading of the accused without a mask in front of the media is not allowed, the move by the cops is questionable, both legally and morally. Moreover, the parading using a large posse of cops could have itself turned into a law and order problem. Authorities must take strict view of the incident and act against the cops who are responsible to ensure that such acts are not repeated in the future.

Raj police trolled for parade

ALWAR/JAIPUR: Thirteen handcuffed , semi-clad men accused of helping a Haryana gangster flee a police station lock-up at Behror were paraded through a crowded marketplace on Sunday in whatpolice claimed was a "moka muayana (spot verification)" to "recreate the crime scene".The sight of 13 men walking single file in innerwear, hemmed in by dozens of armed cops and curious onlookers recording videos on their mobile phones, marked a bizarre turn in the investigation into the escape of gangster Vikram Singh alias Papla from Behror police station on September 6.“We had taken them out simply to recreate the crime scene, which is routine in criminal investigation. We had no intention of sending out any kind of message to the people,” SP (Bhiwadi) Amandeep Singh Kapoor told TOI.At least 150 cops, including a commando unit, trudged along with the accused for 2km before they were herded back into a waiting van.Vikram's escape from Behror police station on September 6 was allegedly made possible by an information leak within hours of his arrest by a highway patrol. More than a dozen men armed with AK-47s and other semi-automatic weapons had stormed the police station all guns blazing and whisked away the gangster while the cops on duty ran for cover.The accused, guarded by at least 150 cops, made to walk barefoot in a single file through a Behror market on SundayAlwar/Jaipur: The brazenness of the escape and the onduty cops' response to it led to Rajasthan police being trolled on social media and even mocked in public. “Since September 6, there have been multiple instances of traffic offenders even defying challans, saying the cops should be in pursuit of Vikram instead of targeting them,” an officer said on condition of anonymity.He said Sunday's “public parade” of the 13 accused might restore people’s faith in police, although he wouldn't say if that was the objective of the exercise. Sources said there was no known precedent of Rajasthan police ever carrying out a spot verification in this manner.