NHRC issues notice to WB govt, why monetary relief may not be given to victims of police brutality
New Delhi, Apr 27 (FN Agency) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to West Bengal government and asked in the show cause why monetary relief may not be recommended for the victims who were subjected to alleged brutal physical torture by the police during peaceful march ‘Nabanna Chalo’ orgainsed by Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in October 2020 at various places in West Bengal, NHRC said on Thursday.
It issued a notice to West Bengal government through its Chief Secretary to show cause within six weeks why the Commission should not recommend that the state government pay Rs one lakh as relief to the victim whose hair was pulled by the police personnel and was mercilessly beaten and Rs 50 thousand each to the two other victims, who were subjected to brutal physical torture by the police during the march, NHRC said in a statement. The Commission had registered a case on the basis of the complaint on October 14, 2020 and issued notices to the state government authorities calling for reports into the allegations of police brutality, it said. The Commission has observed that it is clear from the documents available on record, the reports received from West Bengal government in response to its notices, and the comments of the complainant thereon, that the peaceful march was organized without the permission of the government. Be that as it may, the police resorted to using excessive and disproportionate force, alleged colour/chemical mixed water was used in the Canon to easily identify the protesters for selective beatings.
The Commission does not approve such kind of unethical practices being adopted by the police upon citizens, the statement said. It is admitted on record by the state government that the police had chased the protesters which makes clear that the people who were part of the march, were subjected to severe beatings by the police. The pictures of the victims depicting the scene on the spot are sufficient to prove that disproportionate force was used and people were brutally beaten up and dragged for a considerable distance, it added. “Women were beaten by the male police personnel in full public view in such a brutal manner that one of the victims got her finger fractured and another’s hair was pulled and many of them sustained injuries, is a serious issue of violation of human rights and a matter of concern for the Commission,” NHRC statement said.