NHRC notice to the Director General, Police, Haryana over reported police atrocity against a woman in Faridabad (28.05.2019)

New Delhi, 28th May, 2019

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about a policeman brutally beating a woman with a belt in Adarsh Nagar Police Station area, District Faridabad,Haryana in October, 2018. The incident, allegedly, happened after the woman refused to disclose the information about herself and the man, who was with her in a park and had escaped when the police personnel raided the place. The incident came to light after a four minute video of the same went viral on social media.

The Commission has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Haryana calling for a detailed report in the matter including status of the criminal case registered against the guilty public servants. The response is expected within six weeks positively.

Issuing the notice, the Commission has observed that the contents of the news report are shocking and if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights. Faridabad, being part of the National Capital Region, is considered to be one of the most advanced cities of Haryana. As reported, such a cruel and inhuman act of policemen against a woman in their custody indicates that the public servants not only failed to perform their duty but acted in an unlawful and unethical manner, causing indignity to a woman in their custody.

According the the media reports, carried today on the 28th May, 2019, a case has been registered against the accused policemen on charges of wrongful confinement, causing hurt and insulting the modesty of a woman. Two accused, including SPOs have been arrested while the two other accused Head Constables and an SPO are still on the run. The Commissioner of Police, Faridabad has reportedly taken cognizance of the video and has stated that the police personnel in the video have acted against the law of interrogation. It is also mentioned in the news report that efforts are being made to contact the woman featuring in the video, to seek more details about the matter.

*****