Q. With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Gove specially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been resolved to a large extent in the affected states of the country.
However, there are a few pockets in certain states where naxalite problem still persists, mainly due to involvement of foreign countries. Rohit is posted as SP (Special Operations) for the last one year, in one of the districts which is still affected by the naxalite problem. The district administration has taken a lot of developmental works in the recent past in the naxalite affected areas to win the hearts and minds of the people. Over a period of time, Rohit has established an excellent intelligence network to get the real time information regarding the movement of naxalite cadre. To instill confidence in the public and have moral ascendancy over the naxalites, a number of cordons and search operations are being conducted by the police. Rohit, who himself was leading one of the contingents got a message though his intelligence source that about ten hard core naxalites were hiding in a particular village with sophisticated weapons. Without wasting any time, Rohit reached the target village with his team and laid out a foolproof cordon and started carrying out a systematic search. During the search, his team managed to overpower all the naxalites along with their automatic weapons. However, in the meantime, more than five hundred tribal women surrounded the village and started marching towards the target house. They were shouting and demanding the immediate release of insurgents since they are their protectors and saviours. The situation on the ground was becoming very critical as the tribal women were extremely agitated and aggressive. Rohit tried to contact his superior officer, IG (Special Operations) of the state on the radio set and on mobile phone, but failed to do so due to poor connectivity Rohit was in great dilemma since out of the naxalites apprehended, two were not only hard core top insurgents with prize money of ten lakhs on their heads, but were also involved in a recent ambush on the security forces. However, if he did not release the naxalites, the situation could get out of control since the tribal women were aggressively charging towards them. In that case, to control the situation Rohit might have to resort to firing which may lead to valuable loss of lives of civilians and would further complicate the situation.
a) What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation?
b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit ?
c) Which of the options, do you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why?
d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters ?
UPSC Mains 2024 GS4 Ethics Paper
Model Answer:
The case highlights a critical crisis management scenario testing Rohit’s emotional intelligence, leadership, and the delicate balance between national security and civilian safety, where the primary objective must be to maximize the overall well-being and long-term safety of all stakeholders involved.
1. Options Available & Ethical Dilemmas
Options Available:
- Release the Naxalites: Avoids civilian casualties but compromises national security and the rule of law.
- Resort to firing: Secures arrests but causes civilian deaths, destroying hard-earned administrative trust.
- Hold ground via non-lethal control & dialogue: Maximizes both security and civilian safety.
Ethical Dilemmas:
- National Security vs. Civilian Safety: Apprehending hardcore militants vs. protecting agitated, manipulated tribal women (Article 21).
- Means vs. Ends: Using violent means (firing) to achieve justifiable ends (arresting terrorists).
- Tactical vs. Strategic Goals: Immediate militant arrests vs. long-term alienation of tribal communities.
2. Most Appropriate Option & Justification
Option 3 is the most appropriate course of action, as it yields the highest net benefit by preserving human life while upholding long-term societal stability.
- Immediate Action: Secure militants inside a barricaded target house. Dispatch a runner/vehicle to high ground to establish HQ communications.
- Persuasion: Use megaphones to warn and de-escalate the crowd in the local dialect, utilizing emotional intelligence.
- Minimum Force: If breached, use non-lethal deterrence (tear gas, shields) following the Doctrine of Proportionality (Section 129 CrPC).
- Justification: It upholds constitutional morality, denies Naxalites a propaganda victory (creating martyrs), secures wanted criminals, and minimizes total net harm by protecting innocent lives.
3. Precautions for Women Protesters
- Deploy Women Personnel: Position female constables/officers at the front (e.g., CRPF Bastariya Battalion model).
- Zero Physical Contact: Male officers must strictly avoid manhandling or physically engaging female protesters.
- Strict Non-Lethal SOPs: Exhaust all non-lethal options (water cannons, tear gas); absolutely ban live ammunition usage on the crowd to prevent unnecessary suffering.
- Community Mediation: Quickly rope in female village elders or local grassroots workers for peaceful dialogue.
Adhering to the Doctrine of Proportionality ensures state authority is maintained without sacrificing the hard-earned trust of the local tribal population, ultimately securing the greatest balance of good over harm for the community.
