But, cops cannot escape the blame

The cause behind Nanhe Khan's murder may be rivalry over contract but cops cannot escape the blame. If what the victim's brother Akhtar says is correct, Nanhe Khan had been shouting at the top of his voice, pleading with the police authorities to provide him with security because he feared threat to his life from Hamza and the two railway contractors whose names figure in the FIR.

The cause behind Nanhe Khan's murder may be rivalry over contract but cops cannot escape the blame. If what the victim's brother Akhtar says is correct, Nanhe Khan had been shouting at the top of his voice, pleading with the police authorities to provide him with security because he feared threat to his life from Hamza and the  two railway contractors whose names figure in the FIR.

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At least half a dozen fax messages to the police sent by Nanhe are a grim reminder to the police apathy in handling this case. And the blame on the cops dosen't end here. Two days ago Nanhe Khan's pistol was seized by the police allegedly on flimsy grounds.

Why was a person relieved of his weapon by the police even when he feared death at the hands of certain persons is a question to be answered by the police.

It may be mentioned there already exists a government order in every office barring the entry of anti-social elements from procuring contracts. But the order had been gathering dust as none of the officials have the courage to implement this order.

Officials are supposed to screen all contractors and blacklist the unwanted elements but nobody cares. Last month the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court in a judgement had clearly said that anti- social elements should not be handed over any contract. The criminals were bagging contracts for various works and pocketing huge sums of public money without ensuring quality work, the Bench had observed.