Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir's State Human
Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday issued notices to J&K Police
seeking a detailed report about the alleged suicide of a
college girl, who had jumped into a river after being
questioned by police in Doda district of the state.
SHRC has issued notices to Director General of Police
(DGP) J&K, IGP Jammu Zone, Deputy Commissioner and SSP of
Doda district for filing a detailed report in the light of
allegations made in newspaper reports about jumping of the
girl into Chenab river in Pul Doda, an official spokesman said
here today.
SHRC has taken a suo-moto cognisance into the suspicious
death.
Rashida Bano, a B.Ed student, jumped into the Chenab
river after being questioned by the police for sitting 'in
suspicious circumstances' at a local tea stall at Pul-Doda on
the evening of May 29.
Bano was having tea with her college mate Najab Din at
the roadside eatery on the bank of Chenab in Pul Doda town,
about 165 km from here, when the incident took place.
A police party led by Mumtaz Hussain, incharge of a
police post, went to the tea stall after finding that a boy
and girl had been sitting there for three hours and questioned
them. Later, the policeman spoke to girl's father over the
phone and asked him to take his daughter with him.
The girl suddenly came out of tea stall and jumped into
the river. The strong currents in the river washed her away.
Later, her father Abdul Rafeeq who arrived at the spot late in
the night alleged harassment by the police as the reason for
the death of his daughter.
Following the incident, police registered a case against
cops and suspended Incharge of Police Post Pul Doda, Assistant
Sub-Inspector, Mumtaz Hussain.
Jammu and Kashmir government has also ordered Magisterial
probe into the suicide.
While taking cognisance, Chairperson of the Commission
Justice Bashir-ud-Din in his order observed that exfacie it
appears to be a case of police harassment, custodial torture
and breach of privacy. All facets of right to life, liberty
and dignity are violated, he said.
Even the abatement of the neglect to prevent the
commission of the violation of the right are made out, he
said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 20:07