NHRC asks Jharkhand government to pay Rs 1 lakh to kin of girl who ended life after cop brutality last year

RANCHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday directed the Jharkhand government to provide Rs 1 lakh compensation to the family of a 12-year-old girl, who was badly beaten by Dhansar police in Dhanbad in April last year, leading her to commit suicide following depression.
NHRC also asked the DGP to ensure action against the erring officials, including the then officer in-charge of Dhansar police station, under relevant provisions of the law. NHRC granted four weeks’ time to the state government to comply with the directives.
A formal directive was issued to chief secretary Sukhdev Singh on Monday. Sharing a copy of the order with TOI on Tuesday, Onkar Vishwakarma, a human rights activist based in Koderma district, who had filed a formal complaint before NHRC last year, said the deceased minor hailed from Brite Kusunda area under Dhansar police station.
“On April 19 last year, the girl had gone to a local grocery shop in the morning to buy some items when the local police on patrolling charged canes on her. She slipped into depression after that and committed suicide the day next,” he said, adding that excesses against civilian, especially a minor girl, was highly condemnable.
“There could be many ways to enforce a lockdown and especially with kids, one has to be more sensitive,” he said, adding that the incident prompted him to knock doors of the NHRC seeking justice for the poor family.
Based on the complaint, NHRC sought response from the state police. Dhanbad SSP in his response on October 3 last year told the commission that police mistook the girl to be a boy because of her haircut and outfit.
“On the direction of the police inspector, officials used force to disperse the crowd. We registered a case and the matter is under Investigation. SP City, Dhanbad, inquired into the matter and recommended departmental action against Bhikari Ram, police inspector cum SHO of Dhansar PS, the then Dhanbad SSP was transferred from Dhansar police station to the police centre,” Dhanbad police had stated in their reply to NHRC.
Unconvinced with the police action, NHRC asked state government and police for appropriate action.
“Considering the material placed on record, it reveals that police beating during the lockdown led her into depression and she committed suicide. The commission had issued showcause notice, however, it has not received any reply or response from the concerned authority which leads to the commission that the chief secretary of Jharkhand has nothing to urge upon the commission. Therefore, it is directed to provide compensation of Rs 1,00,000 to the next of kin of the deceased victim within four weeks and submit compliance. In addition, director general of police is directed to take stern legal action under relevant provisions of law against guilty police officials, including Bhikari Ram, and inform within four weeks,” read the order.