The Supreme Court last week has sought the status of CCTV installation at all police stations. The Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union territories have been directed to furnish the information within two months pertaining to all the 16,000 police stations across the country.
It is a matter of concern that despite being already installed, the CCTV is kept intentionally non-operational at many police stations. This helps to prevent any police atrocity from coming to light.
The focus has to be to also to ensure that every police station is well equipped with the basic amenities. Sadly, many police stations lack proper vehicles, wireless sets and provision for drinking water besides clean toilets. It has to be ensured that there is a proper facility for the police force to rest. That mantra of people-friendly police stations has to a large extent remained merely on paper only while the pathetic ground reality is disturbing and there for all to see.
