NHRC calls for inquiry in custodial death case

The National Human Rights Commission has recommended an inquiry against some Uttar Pradesh police personnel in a custodial death case and payment of a compensation of Rs 100,000 to the next of kin of the victim.

The Commission has asked the state government to immediately order an inquiry into a case of custodial death reported from the Chandpur police station of Bijnore district and to punish police personnel found guilty within four weeks.

The chairperson also directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 100,000 to the victim's next of kin, the sources said. The NHRC came to this conclusion after studying a report from the senior superintendent of police, Moradabad, about the death of a person accused in a murder case on October 15, 1995.

Commission chairperson Justice M N Venkatachalliah said the state government can recover the compensation amount fully or partially from the delinquent police officials, the sources said.

In his report, the SSP had said the victim had confessed the place of the crime. While he was being taken there by Station House Officer Nangwains Das and K L Verma to recover the murder weapon, he jumped off the vehicle and fell in front of a moving bus, the SSP claimed. He died at the Moradabad district hospital, the report said, adding that "orders for departmental action would soon be initiated''.

Even if the SSP's version was accepted, Justice Venkatachalliah said, ''It was the obligation of the constables travelling along with the victim to ensure that the handcuffed accused would not run away''. If they had done their duty properly, the deceased could not have jumped out of the vehicle and the accident would not have happened, the judge said.

Compliance should be reported within six weeks to the Commission, Judge Venkatachalliah said.