Chandigarh: Following strong observations by the Punjab and Haryana High Court against “colonial-era policing” and the registration of serious criminal cases based solely on unverified “secret information,” the Punjab Police has issued fresh guidelines on handling cases involving young individuals.
The new directions state that coercive action against youths with a clean background will now be taken only on the basis of clear and credible evidence. The police also clarified that, as a rule, the identity of such individuals will not be disclosed to the media.
Additionally, unless absolutely necessary, educational institutions and employers of the youths under investigation will not be informed about the probe.
In a significant shift aimed at ensuring sensitivity towards children and young people, the police has directed that individuals—particularly those in the 18–20 age group—should be protected from unnecessary public exposure, institutional harm, and disruption to their education during the course of investigations.
