Allahabad High Court Slams Police Apathy in Kidnapping Cases, Cites Lack of Accountability
The Allahabad High Court criticized police officials for their general apathy and lack of accountability in handling kidnapping and abduction cases. While hearing a missing person's case, the court observed that this inaction often allows abductions to tragically escalate to murder. The Bench suggested that responsibility should be fixed on the concerned police leadership if victims are not recovered promptly, emphasizing the need to address public grievances effectively.
Unpacked:
The criticism was prompted by the court's handling of a writ petition regarding a missing person in Varanasi. The petitioner's brother had been missing since March 31, 2025, and the police had failed to trace him despite an FIR being lodged. The court noted that this was not an isolated case of untraced missing persons.
The court suggested that if an abductee is not recovered promptly and is later killed, responsibility should be fixed directly on the head of police in the relevant jurisdiction. The idea is to ensure that police leadership is held accountable for failures in such cases, rather than allowing blame to diffuse or go unpunished.
The court observed that police often prioritize building a larger-than-life image for themselves while showing apathy in abduction and kidnapping cases. Officers tend to shield themselves from public grievances, and a lack of personal responsibility leads to poor outcomes for victims.
The court directed the state government to file a reply and ordered the Commissioner of Police, Varanasi, to submit a personal affidavit explaining why the abductee had not yet been recovered. The court set a deadline for this response by June 12, 2025.