With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments 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 through 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 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. (250 words)

(a) What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation?

Option 1: Release the Naxalites: Release the captured Naxalites to avoid confrontation with the tribal women, ensuring immediate safety but allowing dangerous insurgents to escape.
Option 2: Use Force to Disperse the Women: Use non-lethal force, such as tear gas or water cannons, to disperse the women, risking escalation and potential harm.
Option 3: Negotiate with Tribal Women: Attempt to negotiate with the tribal women, explaining the significance of capturing the Naxalites and seeking their cooperation.
Option 4: Wait for Reinforcements: Hold the position until backup arrives, which might take time and could aggravate the situation further.
Option 5: Temporarily Detain Naxalites in a Safe Location: Move the Naxalites to a safer location within the village to secure them while trying to manage the crowd.

(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit?

Duty vs. Humanity: Balancing his duty to enforce the law against the potential loss of innocent lives among tribal women if force is used.
Justice vs. Peace: Choosing between ensuring justice by capturing criminals or maintaining immediate peace by avoiding violence against women.
Long-Term Security vs. Short-Term Safety: The need to arrest dangerous Naxalites versus the risk of escalating violence and causing distrust among the local community.
Law Enforcement vs. Community Relations: Upholding law enforcement without alienating the tribal community, who may already be distrustful of authorities.

(c) Which of the options do, you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why?

The negotiation approach (Option 3) would be the most appropriate. Engaging with the tribal women calmly and explaining the importance of arresting the Naxalites allows Rohit to maintain law enforcement while minimizing the risk of violence. He can assure the women that their safety will not be compromised and express the necessity of capturing these individuals for the greater good. This approach aligns with ethical values of empathy, justice, and respect for life, while also ensuring that criminals do not escape.

(d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters

Non-Violent Communication: Use respectful and empathetic language to avoid provoking the women further.
Deployment of Women Officers: Engage female police officers to interact with the women protesters, ensuring a sensitive and gender-responsive approach.
Avoid Use of Lethal Force: Absolutely avoid any form of lethal force; use non-lethal methods like verbal persuasion or passive resistance if necessary.
Ensure No Physical Harm: Maintain a safe distance to prevent any physical contact that might be misinterpreted as aggression.
Crowd Management: Arrange for proper crowd management training and equipment to handle such situations in a non-violent manner in future.