What good intent?

WE feel there is need to redefine the phrase 'good intent.' If holding a person on suspicion that he was hiding his son and playing a hoax, and that too for 12 hours, and released only after the son's dead body was recovered, thanks to the innovation of some locals, the explanation of the police that all that was with good intent and for safety of Jihad's father, sound extremely hollow. If it was Jihad's father's safety the police are talking about the only threat that he faced was by the police. If it was his safety the police was concerned about then why threaten to hand him with dire consequences, reportedly, if he did not come out with the 'truth'.  

And not only Jihad's father, tiny tots as young as five had to undergo quizzing by the police in blatant disregard of the existing rules governing the treatment of children by the law enforcing agencies. We wonder whether the police realise the trauma they have caused these children.

The attempt to recover Jihad's body has caught the headlines, not only because the fire brigade was unable to do so but more because of the careless and indiscreet comments of people in responsible positions while the rescue operation was going on. And even more so after the operation when they offered rather puerile explanations defending the operation as well as the police action of taking Jihad's father and the children for questioning.

The law enforcing agencies ought to purge the mindset of seeing a criminal in every man. They should also understand that owning up responsibility and admitting failure help ultimately in improving one's competence.