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 though 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 were shouting and demanding the immediate release of insurgents since 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 Rs 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.

(a) What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation?
(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit ?
(c) Which of the options, do you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why?
(d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters?

Ethics

Ethics: Case Study

2024

20 Marks

The central ethical dilemma revolves around Rohit's choice between upholding the law by detaining captured Naxalites and maintaining public order by potentially releasing them, mirroring the 2021 Chhattisgarh Naxal attack where similar tensions arose between security forces and local communities.

Stakeholder Identification

Stakeholders in the case

(a) Options available with Rohit:

Option 1: Release the Naxalites Temporarily to immediately defuse the situation and prevent civilian casualties.

Pros	Cons
Prevents immediate escalation and possible violence or civilian casualties.	Sends a wrong message of weakness or surrender to extremists.
Gains temporary trust of the tribal community.	May encourage similar future tactics (crowd pressure) to obstruct law enforcement.

Option 2: Use all means necessary to detain the naxalites including use of firearms on civilians.

Pros Cons
Asserts authority of law and ensures justice by arresting wanted extremists. It escalate into a larger protest or unrest if not handled sensitively.
It puts lives of civilian at danger

Pros	Cons
Asserts authority of law and ensures justice by arresting wanted extremists.	It escalate into a larger protest or unrest if not handled sensitively.
	It puts lives of civilian at danger

Option 3: Detain the Naxalites and Attempt to Negotiate with tribal women. Use local leaders or women officers to mediate and calm the crowd. If the situation remains same the release the naxalites temporarily.

Pros	Cons
Reduces aggression without use of force.	It may take time, and if not successful, Sends a wrong message of weakness or surrender to extremists.
Builds a bridge between security forces and the community.
Upholds democratic and empathetic approach to conflict resolution.

(b) Ethical Dilemmas faced by Rohit:

Public Welfare vs. Private Gain (of Naxalites): Balancing the safety and security of the community against the demands of the protesters who view the Naxalites as protectors, highlighting a clash between collective and individual rights.
Rule of Law vs. Humanitarian Crisis: Upholding the law by detaining armed insurgents vs. risking harm to civilian tribal women. This reflects a crisis of conscience for Rohit.
Use of Force vs. Principle of Non-Violence: Possible resort to force against unarmed women protesters questions proportionality of response. This emphasizes Kant's Categorical Imperative approach.
Professional Duty vs. Public Sentiment: Duty to ensure state's internal security vs. addressing emotional outburst of local communities.
Short-term Peace vs. Long-term Precedent: Releasing extremists may prevent immediate violence but may embolden insurgents in future.

(c) Most Appropriate Option for Rohit:

Option 3 would be the most appropriate option for Rohit because:
- It helps manage the situation with Emotional Intelligence by understanding the emotions of tribal women and trying to understand their perspective.
- This approach prioritizes dilogue over use of force. Which presents opportunity to bring forth true face of naxalism. This is in line with Kant's deontological ethics.
- Use of violence would negate the gains made over the decades and work in favor of naxalite propaganda. So a civil servant must balance constitutional morality with compassion and courage with caution.

(d) Extra Precautionary Measures in Dealing with Women Protesters:

Deployment of Women Police Personnel: Ensures culturally sensitive engagement, reducing chances of escalation or misbehavior.
Use of Non-lethal Crowd Control Tools: Such as water cannons, tear gas, or loudspeakers to disperse without injury.
Engage Community Mediators: Tribal elders, local influencers, or social workers to explain the legal implications of the protest.
Maintain a Non-provocative Demeanor: Avoid aggressive postures or verbal provocation by police forces.
Video Recording the Operation: For transparency, accountability, and evidence in case of any allegation or misinterpretation.
Safe Evacuation Plan: Keep ambulances and medical support ready in case of crowd stampede or accidental injury.

A civil servant must act with ethical prudence, emotional intelligence, and constitutional values. Upholding justice while safeguarding innocent lives reflects the highest standards of civil service integrity and leadership.

Answer Length

Model answers may exceed the word limit for better clarity and depth. Use them as a guide, but always frame your final answer within the exam’s prescribed limit.

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