NHRC notice to government on detention of juvenile

Chennai: National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu Government over alleged illegal detention of juvenile and two of his family members in connection with a burglary.

The Commission also sought a report from the chief secretary and director general of police to submit a report within four weeks detailing the action taken against errant police personnel.

Taking cognizance of media reports, the NHRC said the juvenile and their family members were tortured in the most inhuman way, purportedly on the ground that they belonged to a tribe dubbed by the British as criminals under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.

“The law is extinct now but presumably the mindsets remain unchanged as the boy is learning what it meant to be born a Kurava. The Commission has issued a notice to the Government of Tamil Nadu through its Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, calling for a detailed report, including the action if any, taken against the erring police personnel, within 4 weeks,” an official statement from the NHRC said.

Observing that no human being should be subjected to discrimination merely on the fact that he belongs to a particular caste, creed or community, the Commission said the incident, if true, indicates towards violation of human right to life, liberty and dignity of the victims.

The NHRC, quoting media reports said, some police personnel from the Ambattur Police Station, in Chennai, picked them up from their hut in Cholavandipuram, Villupuram district for questioning about an incident of burglary.

“The victims were made partially naked, beaten up with wooden log and were being forced to name someone from their community for his involvement in the theft. Badly injured, they had to drink the water, fetched from the lock-up toilet, as the drinking water was not available to them,” the notice said.