Under fire from various quarters over his controversial statement that “a common man, when threatened, has the right to take law into his own hands, by taking a criminal’s life”, Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) KP Singh on Friday justified his remarks saying that any person while protecting himself or his family holds the rights to kill the miscreant.
Talking to mediapersons, KP Singh while clarifying his remarks said that under Sections 100 and 103 of Indian Penal Code, any person while protecting himself or his family holds the rights to even kill the miscreant.
He added, “Whatever I said… was in reference to various circumstances under which one can take defensive steps as per rules. And according to the law itself everyone has the right to defend themselves under detrimental circumstances. Owning guns and knives is just a part of self-defence.”
A day before, controversy had erupted when the DGP had said that the common man may not know this, but they can kill a person who tries to harm them. Singh had also said, "If someone insults a woman or tries to kill a person then common man has right to take his (criminal) life."
The police are responsible but people should also understand,” he had said.
The DGP had expressed these views while taking part in a convention about the role of police in Panchayati Raj in Haryana's Jind on Thursday.
The statement from the top cop came at a time when four members of a family were killed and another injured in a clash between two groups at Utavad village, where a man, suspected to be a suspended Haryana police personnel, had allegedly opened fire. The incident had occurred on Wednesday after someone from one group passed some “objectionable” remarks on a woman from the rival group.
KP Singh was last month made DGP after his predecessor Yashpal Singhal was removed in the wake of severe flak faced by the state police over handling of the Jat quota stir.