Just think about this awful situation. God forbid, if your near and dear ones, especially the elders are faced with any security threat, the police may not be able help them.
National Crime Records Bureau has published a report about the state of law and order in the states. It says in Maharashtra alone 320 senior citizens were killed in 2009-10. There were 104 ladies out of these.
The numbers of crimes perpetrated against senior citizens are also on rise in other states of India.
The report also observes that even if the senior citizens were to go to police department for help and to complain, they are not properly treated or paid attention to.
Alarmingly National Crime Records Bureau, in another report has claimed that from 2006 to 2010 there were almost 21000 crime cases involving police personnel! Beating, rapes, extortion, underworld nexus, disproportionate assets with respect to income, false encounters, and ineffective investigations – everything is there in the list.
On one side Maharashtra is considered to be one of the most progressive states. There is good development and per capita GDP is high. And so on.
However if the government and police department is not able to secure the lives of the senior citizens, it is despicable state of affairs. This is basic minimum duty of the government and police department. And let's not even talk about the repeated bomb blasts and terror strikes! It is a completely different and equally important topic.
God knows when will the state government go ahead with police reforms - salary, working conditions, advanced weaponry and gadgets for the police department.Certainly there is lot of scope for improvement.
On the solution side I think all of us should have a constant vigilance. The senior citizens can come together and associate to take care of themselves. Even Non-Governmental Organizations can play vital role.
