The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Glorification of crime on TV is not good for society: Kempaiah

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 08, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Glorification of crime on TV is not good for society: Kempaiah

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, OCT. 7. The Inspector General of Police (Southern Range), Kempaiah, today took exception to the "glorification'' of crime on some television serials telecast by Kannada channels, and feared their telecast would encourage the youth to tread the wrong path.

Participating in a meet the press programme organised by the Mysore District Journalists' Association here, Mr. Kempaiah feared that the youth could go astray after watching "Crime Story'' and "Crime Diary,'' serials based on real-life stories.

"Unnecessary glorification and sensationalising of crime on television is not good for society.'' Television serials, which could caution the people against falling prey to conmen, should be produced and telecast, he said.

"There have been several instances of fraudsters masquerading as jewellers, calling on gullible housewives in their residences and enticing them with tempting offers to repair or alter their jewellery.

But eventually, the jewellers turn out to be conmen, who cheat the housewives of their jewellery,'' Mr. Kempaiah said. He urged producers to make serials on such instances.

Ban serials

The Karnataka State Police Officers' Association had urged the Government to ban the telecast of the two serials as they were projecting the police in "poor light''.

It is said that the Director General of Police issued a circular a few weeks ago restraining police officers from cooperating with the producers of the two serials.

Mr. Kempaiah refused to answer queries on the efforts to nab the forest bandit Veerappan by the Special Task Force (STF). Mr. Kempaiah headed the STF earlier.

People's trust

As IG of Police for the Southern Range comprising Mandya, Mysore, Hassan, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts, Mr. Kempaiah said he would make efforts to help the department win the people's trust.

Construction of concrete structures to house police personnel was not enough. "It is important for the public to walk into police stations with trust in the police force. In a democratic setup, people are our masters. The police force is their servant,'' Mr. Kempaiah said.

"The police force becomes irrelevant if it is not sensitive to the complaints of the public," he added.

Mr. Kempaiah said he would focus on making the police more responsive to the public and take action against those who broke the law. Mr. Kempaiah, who has been credited with renovating the police stations in the city during his tenure as the Commissioner of Police a few years ago, said the dilapidated police stations in the districts under his jurisdiction were being identified for renovation.

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