NGO accuses police of defying SC panel

LUDHIANA: Despite directions of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the police have allegedly failed to take action against the SHO who had allegedly tortured and illegally detained an SC family of Rasulpur village, near Jagraon, in 2005.

Members of the Universal Human Rights Organisation address a media. Photo: inderjeet verma

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 21

Despite directions of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the police have allegedly failed to take action against the SHO who had allegedly tortured and illegally detained an SC family of Rasulpur village, near Jagraon, in 2005.

Members of the Universal Human Rights Organisation (an NGO) on Thursday accused the police of not registering a case against the SHO as per the directions of Raj Kumar Chhanena, Director of National Commission for Schedule Castes.

The victim, Iqbal Singh of Rasulpur said: “In 2005, then SHO of Jagraon City, along with a police party, illegally detained me and my family members, including mother, sister and sister-in-law. Our family members were tortured physically as well as mentally. My 37-year-old sister has been ill since the police tortured her.”

“My niece had committed suicide in 2004 but the police presented it as a murder case and illegally detained our family members to implicate us in a false case. The court had acquitted us but we are waiting for justice. We want action must be taken against the guilty policemen. Our human rights were violated.”

He further said he had also filed a complaint to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, seeking action against the policemen concerned.

On May 28, Chhanena wrote to SSP (Rural) Surjit Singh. He asked the SSP to register an FIR against the SHO concerned in this case and investigate the matter. It was observed that the family had faced harassment for a long time, i.e. 14 years, and they deserved to be awarded proper relief and compensation, the letter reads.

The director had asked the SSP that report on legal action as per the law might be submitted to him within 15 days, said NGO president Satnam Singh Dhaliwal.

Dhaliwal said: “The family has been waiting for justice for the past 14 years but no action has been taken against the guilty policemen. If the police did not register an FIR, we will stage a protest at the SSP office next week.”

Meanwhile, the SSP said: “The case is very old and we need to study it. We will take action as per law. However, we have requested the National Commission for Scheduled Castes to give us some more time to study the case.”