New Delhi, 5 April 2005
The National Human Rights Commission has called for the comments of the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh on a story carried in a national daily dated 9 March 2005 wherein it was alleged that the Kasna Police were responsible for the death of three rag pickers.
Observing that if the contents of the report are true it raises a serious issue of violation of human rights, the Commission has directed that a copy of the news story be sent to the DGP, UP to look into the allegations contained in it and submit his comments within two weeks.
The news story reported that three rag pickers Arshad, Asif and Meharwan were handed over to Kasna Police on 26 September 2004 after they were nabbed by a private security on being found roaming in the residential area of Greater Noida. One of the rag picker's father, Shri Zamil Ahmad, lodged a complaint on 1 October 2004 stating that after detention of the three boys by the Kasna Police, they did not return home. He also alleged torture in police custody during interrogation, as a result of which one of the victims had succumbed to his injuries. To eliminate the witnesses the police allegedly killed the other two and burnt their bodies in the jungle to eliminate all evidence. It was also reported that a case has been registered u/s 367/334/342 and 201 IPC against 11 policemen of the police station after intervention by the SSP on the basis of the complaint by the parents.
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