New Delhi, September 29th, 2011

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a truck driver was beaten to death by four constables and an RTO employee in Chandauli District, Uttar Pradesh when he refused to pay them rupees five thousand as bribe. The Commission observed today on the 29th September, 2011 that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim as well as misuse of power by the police officials.

Issuing notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a report within four weeks, the Commission also directed them to inform as to whether the State Government proposes to recommend any monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased besides initiating legal/departmental proceedings against the delinquent public servants.

According to media reports the truck driver, Anand Kumar Gupta, aged 55 years, a native of Kaushambi District in Uttar Pradesh was beaten to death in front of his son by the State Government employees when he refused to accept their argument that the truck was overloaded and he needed to them rupees five thousand as bribe. Allegedly his refusal enraged the officials so much that they started thrashing him with sticks and iron rods due to which he lost consciousness and succumbed to injuries. His son, Ashwini Kumar Gupta, had lodged the First Information Report against the police officials and the employee of the RTO.

It may be recalled that on the 14th of this month, in a similar incident a truck driver was allegedly beaten to death by a woman transport officer in Agra, Uttar Pradesh when he refused to pay them rupees four thousand. A response on the incident is awaited from the Chief Secretary of the State.

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