CJP took note of this abhorrent incident in Delhi in which 8 minors were detained by the Daryaganj Police station and were reportedly stripped below the waist and beaten with lathis and belts.
An email was first sent in order to lodge a complaint at the earliest detailing how the detained minors were beaten and how 11 people were charged with obstruction of justice and unlawful assembly. It also mentioned that many of the detainees were from Jama Masjid, Osmanabad areas.
The email said, “Taking the law into their own hands, they not only detained minors, but they detained minors who were not part of the protest and even denied the detainees basic rights to medical facilities in light of their heinous state-sponsored injuries and access to lawyers to ensure their safe return.”
An official petition was further sent by CJP mentioning that 40 people were detained and 15 were arrested in connection with the violent protests. The petition also mentions how ‘the cops even used communal slurs at the protesters and threatened them that they would be taught a lesson they would never forget.’ The petition further states that the detainees were injured and yet were denied any medical or even legal assistance at first, and the the police relented only after much persuasion and an order from the District Magistrate. The release of the minors was also achieved after much difficulty.
The petition states that, “The filing of cases against people seems random, denial of access to lawyers shows the apathy of the police for following the law as also reflects their ill-intention… No law gives the police the authority to detain a minor in police custody and the Delhi Police went ahead and detained minors anyway in complete disregard of the law of the land. Once again Delhi police resorted to disproportionate use of force on unarmed protesters, another violation of human rights.”
CJP, through its petition has urged the NHRC to take cognizance of the matter and initiate independent inquiry in the incident and to issue guidelines to police departments for controlling peaceful protesters and to ensure they do not indulge in human rights violations in controlling such situations.
CJP awaits the Commission’s stern action in this matter.
The complete petition may be read here