A new book titled “Policing and Violence in India: Colonial Legacies and Contemporary Realities” sheds light on the intricate relationship between India’s colonial past and its present-day policing practices. Edited by Deana Heath and Jinee Lokaneeta, this $49.99 368-page Speaking Tiger Books hardcover is a rich trove of ideas. The work compiles essays that explore how colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary realities of violence and policing in the country.
The book could not have come out at a better time, with custodial deaths finally gaining national media attention and awareness. In June 2020, Jayaraj and his son Bennicks died in Tamil Nadu, India after police forcibly arrested them for supposedly violating Covid-19 curfews. Their deaths laid bare the deep systemic fractures with policing as a whole. Their killings, and Faizan’s heartbreaking death in police custody during the protests against the CAA in February 2020, raised immediate concerns. These violent occurrences brought further scrutiny to the overwhelming pattern of human rights abuses in the Indian police establishment. The High Court ruled Faizan’s death a “gross violation of human rights” and described it as a hate crime. This OIG decision adds so much more weight to the grim call for reform.
Heath and Lokaneeta’s book also delves into the broader historical strands of colonialism. It uncovers the deeply-rooted culture of these threads entangled within the modern cloth of policing in India. In doing so, The Colonizers’ Model of Policing Editors contend that the principles and practices developed under colonial rule have continued to evolve into modern-day policing strategies. This connection is key to understanding the overarching issues of violence and policing being faced by citizens today.
The multi-disciplinary gathering of the essays within the book has provided a valuable perspective from exciting emerging scholars who continue to interrogate these long-lasting legacies. Contributors point out that police departments were designed in service of colonialism. They illuminate how these forces continue to operate under similar models today, still prioritizing human rights and accountability. This policy chat brings into focus a deeply related concern. It looks at how this legacy affects our marginalized communities today and their relationships with law enforcement.
Understanding the colonial roots of policing in India is key to understanding the issues we face today. The editors call for a deep and urgent reckoning within policing institutions. They demand change to address these persistent problems.