Increasing custodial deaths
Going by reports of custodial torture emanating from different states, it is clear that despite so many court directives, sentences, and attempts at sensitization, Indian police remain oblivious to treating those in custody with dignity. Minimal accountability is a huge factor that emboldens them; inquiries are held routinely, some heads roll, and policemen return to their jobs sooner rather than later because public memory is excruciatingly short. The Supreme Court has laid down each requirement, assigning responsibility to every member of the investigation hierarchy, so that there is no scope for the investigative chain to loosen. A careful analysis of the number of custodial deaths unequivocally proves that the court directions are flagrantly flouted. In 2019, there were, on average, five custodial deaths per month in India. That more than 100 deaths have been reported every year from 2019 to 2022 should ring alarm bells. Police superiors hardly monitor the lower rung.
Those in the know about police methods and madness have pointed out how the police systematically prepare for custodial beatings: CCTV cameras are rendered inoperative or switched off before the mayhem begins because courts expect ‘unequivocal evidence’ to convict the policemen. No state, barring a few, has put the ‘ Police Complaint Authority’, as ordered by the top court, in place. There have been few takers for the requirement that all custodial deaths need to be reported to the National Human Rights Commission within 24 hours.
Augmenting investigative techniques, providing better facilities in rural police stations, offering refresher courses in a wide range of subjects, and providing psychological counseling—all these possible ways to reform the police are still confined to the paper.
Dr Ganapathi Bhat
(gbhat13@gmail.com)
Risks of cyber attack
Cyber attacks occur in almost every industry and in every sector. However, healthcare organizations bear the brunt, largely due to the fact that the information they produce and manage is a particularly alluring target for attackers. In recent years, ransomware attacks on healthcare facility networks have become more common and severe and have been causing medical device outages. Despite great efforts, law enforcement and governments have been unable to stop the escalating wave of attacks on hospital devices. Cyber attacks that target the healthcare industry come in many forms, and they can have particularly grave consequences given the volume and sensitivity of healthcare data. The fact that healthcare organizations constitute particularly lucrative targets for hackers only exacerbates the cyber security challenges that this industry faces.
To protect against these threats, it is crucial for healthcare organizations to invest in processes and tools that can protect all their assets, including not just traditional IT resources like servers but also connected devices. Establishing a plan to mitigate the risk of healthcare cyber attacks and responding effectively when they occur are critical aspects for any organization that operates in the healthcare sector.
Ranganathan Sivakumar,
(siva19kumar@gmail.com.)
Easter: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Take any festival, and you will find that it has roots that can be traced back to religious history. Hence, it is no surprise that the many festivals that we celebrate across the world have been spawned by a spate of significant events in antiquity. These important events etched an indelible impression on the collective minds of the people who felt the need to commemorate them, lest posterity overlook their importance. Thus, a slew of celebrations came into existence. The history of Easter is no different. It is one of the oldest and holiest of all Christian festivals. It is a day revered by Christians, who celebrate it with immense religious ardency. The name ‘Easter’ owes its origin to ‘Eastre’, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring who symbolises a hare and an egg.
”For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John Chapter 3, verse 16). If you want to give an Easter gift to someone, I recommend you give the following: To your enemy, forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance’; to a friend, your heart; to a customer, good service; to the poor, charity; to every child, a good example; to yourself, respect. In the words of Jesus Christ, the message for Easter is: “Come to me, all those who are heavy burdened and filled with grief, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew Chapter 11, verse 28).
Jubel D’Cruz,
(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com.)