From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 21: People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Bangalore has strongly condemned the Bangalore police for two encounter killings by the city police, which were widely reported by the media on December 19 and said killing in cold blood even if the suspects had committed the alleged offences of which they were accused could never be justified.

''Guarantees of individual fundamental rights form the backbone in functioning of any democracy and the role of police is to ensure preservation of the same. We, as a nation, run great risks when our police become empowered to take issues of law and justice in their own hands , including ‘right to kill’ those alleged to be threats to society," the PUCL said.

PUCL Bangalore has in a press release expressed its distress at the media portrayal of these particular events especially the seeming condoning of excessive power by the police leading to the two deaths of suspected criminals.

''It should be noted that even if the suspects had committed the offences of which they were accused, it does not justify killing them in cold blood," the PUCL said.

The only justification in this context for killing by the officials by the state would be self defense, the PUCL said pointing out that the claim of self defence cannot be a self evident justification but must be judicially investigated.

The NHRC guidelines on encounter deaths clearly mandate that in any case of so called 'encounter', an FIR must be registered against those who caused the death. The judicial process is then set into motion and the judiciary must test the claim of 'self defense' and come to the conclusion that the killing was either murder or was act of killing which was done in self defense.

The highest authorities of the police are responsible for the actions of the force under them and cannot justify any civilian deaths by their officers due to suspected culpability.

''Presumption of innocence till proved guilty is an ideal demanding respect of all especially our police force," the PUCL said pointing out that the media also had a responsibility to portray incidences of human rights violation as equally serious even if the victims are offenders against the law.

PUCL, Bangalore demands a registration of an FIR against those who have perpetrated the encounter and also institution of an immediate inquiry into the encoungter killings.