I had a very difficult time trying to sleep the night before last. After about 2:00 AM I lay rolling on the bed thinking about the Special task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police and thinking about the great act of bravery that they had done. I could not sleep thinking about the will power and the courage it takes for ordinary policemen to put to rest the rising sun of organized crime in the country. Those unsung heroes, those great young men.
This blog is dedicated to the few Honest, Committed, Courageous, Patriotic Unsung Police Men and Politicians whose presence allows up to sleep at night in peace and walk on roads like free men.
Where should I start? Uttar Pradesh Police has the distinction of being one of the most corrupt and inefficient police in the country. The late Justice A.N. Mulla once observed that the UP Police force was an organized gang of criminals. Anyone who has stayed in Uttar Pradesh will acknowledge that Police stands for horror, mistrust, cheating, bribery and all related synonyms in the villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh. This corrupt and in-efficient department is the way it is because of the Political Willpower that exists in Up to make use of the Department of Home like a pack of "Hunting Dogs" to realise the criminal intents of the Politicians. In UP criminal is a politician - a politician is a criminal and Police serves their needs. And God fearing policeman who wishes to discharge his duty perceives greater threat from within the organization than from the criminals outside. Such is the state of affairs.
BUT, the same Uttar Pradesh Police did things that have put a feather in the cap of the Department of Home, not just for Uttar Pradesh but for the entire country. It all happened from 1996 to 1998. Everything thing was same in UP except one. For the first time (I guess) was a Special Task Force of Police created with a single point objective of uprooting organized crime in UP. "What gave the STF a cut above the rest was the political immunity which it enjoyed in its operations. While Kalyan backed the STF when it traced political links of contract killer Sri Prakash Shukla, which included some high-profile politicians of his own party, the sleuths enjoyed all political back-up to discharge their duties." - TOI. This is what made the difference. POLITICAL IMMUNITY. Kalyan Singh stood by them and told them to discharge their duty without fear and without pressure!
Coming to Sri Prakash Shukla. Here is a description that I found -"Shukla made it to the police records in 1993. One Rakesh Tiwari, a local ruffian, had whistled at Shukla's sister. It was enough for the livid brother to kill. After Tiwari's murder, Shukla fled to Bangkok. He came back a changed man. He had tasted blood and was hungry for more. In Suraj Bhan of Mokamah, Bihar, Shukla found his mentor, his godfather.
Slowly, he built his empire. Shukla masterminded criminal operations in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal and Nepal. He was involved in everything from kidnapping for ransom to property to drug running to manipulating the lottery trade to murder for a price. It is estimated that he personally killed about 20 people -- generally remorselessly, with the skill of a practised exponent.
As his legend grew, so did his rakishness. Shukla was a womaniser with a vengeance, his preference being expensive call girls, luxurious hotels, massage parlours, gold chains and fast cars. Yet, he never let all this get in the way of action. He realised the old school in the Uttar Pradesh mafia would not accept him as anything more than an upstart. It had to be bludgeoned into submission.
In early 1997, he killed Virendra Sahi -- a fellow Gorakhpuri and pivot of the provincial underworld -- in the heart of Lucknow. The old order had been crippled. Next on the hit list was Hari Shankar Tiwari -- Sahi's opponent in a pulsating but gruesome rivalry that raged through the '70s. Tiwari, now a minister in Kalyan's Government, has been the MLA from Chillupar for a decade and a half. Suddenly, Shukla decided he wanted the seat."
India's Most Wanted I came face to face with Sri Prakash Shukla watching India's Most Wanted. This programme on ZEE TV kept me glued thought it's run. When I got to hear about this criminal, in-line with my inquisitive self, a thousand questions came to my mind. I felt humbled and helpless when I realised that our Police was failing miserably to control this criminal. I spoke to my Papa about crime in UP. I also met one Police Inspector in Mussoorie and I must admit, looking at him I had hardly any hopes to see criminals shot down!
The one evening as I switched on the TV, the news seemed to be everywhere - Sri Prakash Shukla was DEAD! I rejoiced! I watched the video clips over and over again! I was happy - very happy! I was happy for the people of UP. I was happy for the STF!
There is hope out there. However bad things may get there is still hope. It is there because still you have people who have guts to stand up for what is right!. You have exceptional men who show the way! These officers of the STF who shot the criminal dead went on to release an entire list of Politicians who had connections with this gangster. The very backbone of Organized Crime in UP was broken! And it all happened in the hands of 'Kalyan Singh"-> Today's Politician and UP Police ->I described the general perception above.
I Salute the Brave officers who battled the automatic weapons (even AK 47s), who battled Political Immunity that was being offered to criminals, who risked their lives and the consequences when the State Government changes, who stood up and made me - then a young child - very very proud!
P.S. I recommend you watch the Hindi movie Sehar based on this episode.