OPINION: ASI’s murder puts a big question mark on the law and order situation in Punjab

The incident of murder of ASI Ravinder Pal Singh in the broad daylight, that too by the politician belonging to the ruling SAD-BJP flouting the law, while resisting harassment of his daughter, has shocked the people of Punjab and put a big question mark on the law and order situation in Punjab.

It is said on the part of police that despite complaints against Rana, the general secretary of the district unit of the SAD had been teasing the girl for sometime, the police failed to take any action.

The fact that a father, that too a policeman, was murdered by a powerful member of the ruling party just for protecting his daughter speaks volumes of insecurity facing the women in the state and the virtual free run enjoyed by goons under the cover of politics.  In such a situation, one can well imagine, the plight of a common man.

 This is not the first incident; the tendency to attack innocent citizens and officers and take law into their own hands has been seen in the past also. The attack on revenue official Gobinderpal Singh Benipal in Ludhiana in 2009 and the murder of hotelier Gurkirat Singh Sekhon last year in Jalalandhar by SAD leaders and their associates clearly speaks that Akali leaders are having the licence to cross the power limits of the law of the land. 

The failure on the part of SHO to reach the incident spot after the attack also speaks of the nexus between the accused and the police.  Whatever may be the circumstances, the incident has embarrassed the SAD-BJP government in the eyes of the public. 

Now the ball is in the court of government as to how strongly it deals with the politician who has played havoc with the live of ASI Ravinder Pal Singh.  The politics in Punjab has reached where the girls are not safe in the hands of goonda elements who are being patronised by the politicians rather they have become a part and parcel of the political parties. The best way to send the message will be to give quickly and exemplary by completing all the legal formalities to the culprit so that people have faith in the government and judiciary besides creating a confidence among the women in Punjab not to go through such incidents that Robajit Kaur has experienced.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of City Air News.)