What is making the cops shiver?

The cold wave in Vidarbha may have sent the mercury dipping to record levels last week. For cops though, cold wave seems not to be the only reason bringing them shivers. There have been many occasions in recent past when cops experienced the shivers even though temperatures were not so low.

A murder at Sonba Nagar, in which name of a politically connected goon surfaced last week, seemed to have given more shivers to Kalamna cops than ambient temperature going down to five degrees celsius. Like the strong current from north that is causing the chill, there is a 'north' factor behind apparently immunity that the goon enjoys from cops. It is said that the political godfather of one time accused of Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act is also from northern part of the city. A handful of senior cops are known to be loyal friends of the godfather.

Source in the police department said that the former jailbird's name had surfaced in three murders across the city in recent past, including that of the high profile former corporator Bharat Mohadikar at Lakadganj. The cops seem to be pondering about this conspiracy even two months after the murder. Forget arresting the goon, senior cops were left trembling just facing media questions about his involvement. A senior officer even denied knowing that the don was called to the police station to record his statement. This at the very time when the ex-gangster was being quizzed. It is not clear whether it was weather or gangster-turned-real estate dealer's political affiliation that made the cops shiver.

Just like the cops' teeth-chattering experiences have nothing to do with cold currents, so their turning cold on certain occasions. Cops seem to go into a freeze in dealing with anything that requires them to go beyond the beaten track. They never proceed on cases related to killing of or cruelty to animals or violation of forest or environmental laws.

"Ask them to take action against perpetrators of cruelty to animals and they would turn to ice requiring us to coax, cajole, talk to their seniors or even get politicians to make calls," said an animal rights activist. The activist in recent times had harrowing experience with the cops.

The animal right activist, along with colleagues, had gone to Kalamna police station seeking help from the cops against a bunch of herdsmen taking buffaloes for slaughter. The cops turned to spectators as herdsmen thrashed up the activists. There were nearly 40 buffaloes. The cops did take the herdsmen in custody but claimed they had no clue where more than 30 buffaloes disappeared. The activists, to their disappointment, learnt the animals were returned to herdsmen.

In another case involving officials of government mental hospital who had killed and quietly buried several stray dogs in the premises before visit of a senior official, cops were similarly reluctant to move. Police accompanied the activists to the hospital premises but refused to have the site excavated and recover carcasses, a crucial piece of evidence. It was after much cajoling that the cops moved.