NHRC notice to DGP, UP, over death of man in custody in Kannauj

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New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC), India, has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that a man died on May 20, 2019 allegedly after he was thrashed in police custody in Kannauj district in Uttar Pradesh (UP). A case against three police personnel including the Incharge of the police post and two others has been registered in this connection.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news reports, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report in the matter after making a thorough inquiry by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police of other district along with the status of the criminal case registered against the police personnel/ public servant concerned within 4 weeks, including relief, if any provided to the family of the deceased.

The NHRC has further observed that going by the contents of the media reports, it appears that the police personnel acted in a cruel manner amounting to violation of human rights of the victim. The police personal have failed to perform their lawful duty as instead of providing lawful protection to the man in their custody, they abused their power, according to an NHRC release.

According to the media reports, carried on May 22, 2019, Ravindra Kumar and his brother Devendra were taken to police station over a property issue. Devendra was released within an hour but Ravindra was detained and beaten up in custody by the police. The family members were not allowed to meet him and later, he was thrown by the police personnel, in front of his house in injured condition. Later, he succumbed to his injuries.