ARTICLE : Why should we be blamed?

Makers of crime shows CID and Crime Patrol have reacted strongly to police claims that the recent kidnapping and murder of a Pune teenager by his friends was inspired by these shows. Relating the incident, in which three teenagers abducted their schoolmate, strangled him to death and collected Rs15,000 ransom from his father last week, inspector Motichand Rathod had said, "All three confessed that they wanted to have fun, but easy money could only come from crime. Among the television serials they regularly watched were CID and Crime Patrol."

"The cops are blowing it up. There must have been some mistake because we don't teach youngsters how to commit murder. We stress on the mystery and how it is solved. Rather, Crime Patrol gives a detailed description of the crime. We cater to a family audience and don't air content that would affect sensitive minds. In fact, Saas Bahu serials show more violence than we do," says BP Singh, producer, CID. Anup Soni, who hosts Crime Patrol, says,

"The purpose of the show is to tell people not to commit crime as it will have serious consequences."

Cops are however, firm in their belief. "Criminals often take a cue from crime shows. Juveniles on being interrogated, confess that the idea came from a crime show. For instance, in a recent double murder case in Ranjit Nagar, where a teenager killed his cousins, he revealed that the knowledge of muffling a gun shot by using a pillow came from TV serials," says Devesh Chandra Shrivastava, additional commissioner, Delhi Police.

Some agree that content needs to be regulated. "We give out the message that no criminal can evade justice. However, I still feel channels should censor what they deem unfit," says, Shivaji Satam, who plays ACP Pradyuman in CID. Agrees filmmaker Suhaib Ilyasi, who produced crime show India's Most Wanted.

"Youngsters are impacted by such shows, so it is necessary to send a strong message that you will be severely punished if you commit a crime." "These crime series show that the criminals get caught by police but they don't show what happens after that. In a way, it's a glorification of crime," says psychiatrist Jitendra Nagpal.

Scary replay
February 2012: A 12-year-old Delhi boy, Suhail, died trying to imitate a suicide scene in a movie
December 2011: A young man abducted three children in Panchkula and confessed to cops that he was inspired by crime documentaries on TV
December 2011: Barnali Thakurta, a class five student in Kolkata, choked to death trying to imitate a scene shown in a
television programme
Shaktiman Syndrome: In the 90s, many children injured themselves, and one died while trying to imitate TV superhero Shaktiman.

Courtesy: https://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Tabloid/Why-should-we-be-blamed/Article1-834935.aspx

I read this too.

My TV techniques sir .. he says these shows teach people how to escape easily after committing crime.

It depends on how strong a person is. You should blame the mental stability of the person not these shwos.

Everythng have Positive as well as negative effects...But Wolrd Only focus on Negative effects... I agree these shows teaching ways how to crime and after comiting crime how to escape...Bcz so many new Methods shows in these kinds of crime shows of crime.which we were never now before...But on the Other hand and At big Scale, Crime Shows are teaching audience, how to save them from the crime.or what the result after someone involve in any Crime..

If they start blaming TV shows for everything that happens in this world, they'll have to shut down the entertainment industry and even ban Sherlock Holmes books.

I can indeed see why our show has been displaying the label of being a "kid's show" more and more frequently as of late. While it's true that certain criminals have been known to be inspired by crime shows, movies and novels for their deeds, claiming that these are prime factors for rising crime is very misleading at best, and a straw-man argument for covering one's own shortfalls at worst.

Let me give an alternate example – I have several friends who obsessively play certain video games so violent and explicit that they'd make Crime Patrol feel like a Pingu cartoon in comparison. As far as I know, none of these guys are homicidal psychopaths in real life. That is because they know very well that violence and crime in games, TV shows and movies is fictional stuff that should be taken with a grain of salt. In today's world, it's impossible to keep anybody in the dark concerning these things and as such they should be properly educated about these issues.

Even if the culprit in question hadn't watched this shows and was intent upon the crime, he'd have went ahead anyway. What do the accusers have to say about the several thousands of citizens who've actually learnt to be more vigilant and alert thanks to these shows? One does not need to have a disease in order to analyze its symptoms. The way a person reacts to this material depends on a multitude of factors, as has been mentioned in posts above. There are plenty of more pressing issues when it comes to proliferation of crime, which these people sweep under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist.

Regarding this quote - "These crime series show that the criminals get caught by police but they don't show what happens after that. In a way, it's a glorification of crime" – I wonder if this gentleman has ever watched CID. If every single criminal receiving the death penalty is a "glorification of crime", then I'm Donald Duck. 😛

media simply wants to blame everything on TV..maybe it is inspired by tv..tho isme tv ki kya galti hai??

sad to see that people always pass the blame on to something rather than accept responsibility. I see this trend across India in every walk of life. Let me sight a small example: children below the age of 8 should be in bed by 9 in the night. Medical science and well known child rearing books have shown us the reasons chief of which is, they require this amount of sleep. I rarely see this being followed. Parents are thrilled that these little people tell their friends that they watched dirty Picture and are proud when their kids dance for the number 'ooh la la" of the same movie!

but y the programs are being blamed?? they are showing it just to stop crime... it diesnt mean thy are showing how to make brime, it depends on each one how thy react to it... some think its an inspiration to do somethng good.. whereas some opp minded person tke this the other way to destroy... but y CID n crime patrol should be blamed?? CID is going on for last 15 yrs n it hasnt created any wrong effects, bt i guess cime patrol should stop showing hw the murder takes place, etc!!!

Yaar why is CID and Crime Patrol being blamed for this. Is it their fault that some twisted mind is using these shows to do crimes? 😡