The Indian Police

Abstract

Abstract Prevention of collective violence between social groups is essential for internal security and a critical task for police agencies. Yet, the challenge of violence prevention is acute, especially in multiethnic polities with weak public institutions. In India, managing collective violence is made more challenging due to resource constraints and political interferences, which can lead to breakdowns of public order. How, under such conditions, do police agencies work to prevent collective violence? Drawing on fieldwork conducted in Madhya Pradesh, Mangla finds that local police agencies have developed organizational repertoires for socially embedded policing, involving intensive planning and coordination between senior-level and frontline officers, along with input from societal groups to prevent conflict. The chapter develops the argument through ethnographic observations of police activities around the twenty-fifth anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. It then locates socially embedded policing within the broader institutional capabilities and constraints of India’s state police forces. While a militaristic and stratified hierarchy enables police agencies to coordinate activities on a large scale, it limits information-sharing by frontline officers. A severe shortage of personnel, along with biases in police training, makes it difficult to institutionalize socially embedded policing practices. Consequently, police agencies are more likely to be overwhelmed or resort to heavy-handed physical tactics during public order situations. The chapter concludes with reflections for future research on policing and internal security.