Decision aims to deflate criminal ego & curb criminal bragging: Mishra
Wednesday, 23 October 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Following a recent shootout in Jafarpur, Udham Singh Nagar district, where more than 50 rounds were fired, the senior superintendent of police of the district Manikant Mishra has announced a reward of Rs five each for the arrest of three of the accused. This decision has drawn attention, as it flips the traditional perception that the bigger the reward, the more dangerous the criminal. This is possibly the first time an SSP in Uttarakhand declared such a low amount as a bounty on the accused’s head.
The incident reportedly resulted from a dispute in the Jafarpur area between two men Manmohan Singh and Rakhvir Singh, over a commission of Rs seven lakh. On the night of October 12, both parties involved reportedly confronted each other near a vacant lot at the Jafarpur petrol pump, leading to a violent clash where over 50 rounds were fired, injuring nine people. Following the incident, police registered an FIR based on Manmohan’s complaint against Rakhvir, Sahab Singh alias Sabi, Kanwal Singh, Jashandeep Singh, Jitendra Singh, Karan Singh and some other unidentified persons. Meanwhile, the other side, represented by Gurwant Singh, also lodged an FIR against Manmohan, Harendra, Manpreet, Gopi, Harman, Jassi, Prince and Satendra. No accused were arrested even after two weeks of the incident. Considering this, the SSP declared Rs five bounty on the head of each of the three main absconding accused, Jasvir, Manmohan and Sahab Singh, citing the criminal history of the accused.
Mishra said that by minimising the bounty, he aims to challenge the perception that criminals with high bounties are inherently more dangerous, attempting to demoralise those seeking notoriety. He said that he came to know that these accused use cases registered against them and bounty announced on their head as a means to brag among locals and used it to create a sense of threat among them to achieve their personal benefits. “By declaring a low bounty of Rs five on these accused, I aimed to let such offenders know that they are not worthy of anything more than this. They are nothing more than mere offenders in front of the law. They exaggerate a sense of power among locals to establish a reign of terror. I aimed to take this power from these accused,” he said. The SSP also informed that the police have sought non-bailable warrants from court against the eight accused in the case and will put all of them behind bars soon.
