Torture of minor Dalit girl: NHRC serves notice on Bihar police

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to two senior officers of Bihar police over alleged torture of minor Dalit girl by some persons in the presence of police personnel.

New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to two senior officers of Bihar police over the alleged torture of a minor Dalit girl by some persons in the presence of police personnel. According to an NHRC statement issued today, the rights panel has issued notices to the Director General of Police, Bihar and Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna calling for reports within four weeks into the allegations that a minor Dalit girl was subjected to torture in the presence of police personnel on July 31.

The notices were issued after the rights panel took suo motu cognisance of a media report which said that the girl was picked up by the police to search her brother, who was absconding with a girl of other caste. The mother and brother of the absconding girl were also in the police vehicle, which drove throughout the night. The brother of the absconding girl, allegedly bribed the police by giving them Rs 10,000 and two bottles of alcohol. Thereafter, he allegedly tore off the clothes of the Dalit girl and inflicted injuries on her hands and legs with burning cigarette and also threatened her. The police party merely kept on laughing while all this was going on. Later, the Dalit girl approached the SSP, Patna and subsequently, an FIR was filed against the absconding girl`s family members, but no action has been taken against the police officials, who were party to the alleged incident of the atrocity, the statement said. The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the Dalit girl. NHRC has also asked the Director General of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Bihar as to what legal and disciplinary action has been taken against the errant police officials for illegally detaining the victim in police custody and neglect of duties. PTI