In a democratic society, police are expected to be accountable to the people they serve, upholding the rights of citizens and following due process. In India, however, political pressure in the competitive electoral arena forces the police to adopt questionable means and dubious strategies. As a hierarchical bureaucratic organization, disciplined in a military tradition and schooled in colonial traditions of deference to authority figures, India s police personnel have effectively alienated the very people they are supposed to serve and protect.

In response to the...