When Police Become Judge and Punisher on the Streets: Who Will Protect the Rights of Ordinary Citizens?
The sight of citizens being dragged, slapped, pushed or verbally abused in public by police personnel raises a disturbing question about the limits of state power in a democracy. When officers entrusted with protecting the law appear to punish people on the streets without due process, public confidence in law enforcement is inevitably put at risk.
Recent protests in New Delhi have brought these concerns into sharp focus. On October 13, 2026, Human Rights Watch called for an end to the crackdown on protesters, citing allegations of excessive force, arbitrary detention and the mistreatment of demonstrators. Protesters and journalists have reported being dragged, slapped and assaulted during police operations. These allegations require impartial investigation and accountability.
The fundamental issue is that the power to enforce the law is not the power to punish anyone at will. Police officers can make lawful arrests, maintain public order and use proportionate force when legally justified. They cannot treat a person’s criticism, disagreement or peaceful participation in a demonstration as permission to inflict punishment on the spot.
A slap delivered in public is not a substitute for an investigation. Dragging a person unnecessarily is not a substitute for lawful arrest. Verbal humiliation is not a legitimate method of establishing authority. When force is used unlawfully, the uniform does not place an officer above the law.
India’s Constitution protects freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, subject to reasonable restrictions. Arrest and detention are also governed by legal safeguards, including Supreme Court directions intended to protect personal liberty and prevent custodial abuse. These protections are not privileges granted by the police; they are legal rights that public authorities are obliged to respect.
The question becomes even more serious when women, students, journalists or ordinary citizens allege that they have been manhandled while exercising their rights. Every complaint deserves to be assessed on evidence, and every officer found responsible for misconduct should face appropriate consequences under the law. Equally, officers must be protected when they themselves are assaulted or threatened while performing lawful duties.
A democratic society cannot function on the assumption that whoever wears a uniform is always right or that whoever is detained must be guilty. The law must determine responsibility through proper procedures, not through humiliation, intimidation or violence on the street.
Police authority is necessary for public safety, but that authority must remain accountable. Independent investigations, accessible complaint mechanisms, preservation of video evidence and meaningful action against proven misconduct are essential to maintaining public trust.
The real test of law enforcement is not how forcefully the police can control citizens, but how faithfully they can enforce the law while respecting citizens’ dignity and rights. When people begin to fear the very institution meant to protect them, authorities must take those concerns seriously and demonstrate that no one is above the law—not even those empowered to enforce it.
