The criminalization of police forces is a major problem in India, with public perception and credibility of police being abysmally low. In a CSDS (Centre for Study of Developing Societies) found in a 2018 surey that only around 25% Indians “highly trust” the police whereas it is 54% for Army.

The previous year 2017, outgoing Kerala police chief T.P. Senkumar had said that the criminalization of police increases from the “ground up”, i.e., it is found more in IPS rank officers than in the rank and file.

In recent times, i.e., over the past months, there have been outrageous incidents of police themselves acting as thieves an looters or collaborating with criminals. On the other hand, a top-ranking officer such as former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh is not only implicate in an extortion case but was also in hiding saying that he feared for his life, and demanded protection from arrest from the Supreme Court. The police itself has failed to keep up a clean record and thus its position as an upholder of the rule of law comes into major question.

The Uttar Pradesh Police have been in the limelight wherein serious foul play is alleged, such as the death of UP based realtor Manish Gupta, 22-year old Altaf in Kasganj, and Arun Valmiki in Agra.