The number of cases of human rights violation is on rise, more so against police, figures of the Haryana State Human Rights Commission (HSHRC) has revealed.
As per the report, the Commission received 2,930 complaints in 2018-19, out of which 1,485 were against the State police. From January 1 to July 31, 2019, a total of 1,568 complaints were recorded out of which maximum 809 were against the State police.
Sources in the Commission said in some cases, senior police officials were seen to be protecting their subordinates accused of violation.
Study further revealed that of these, in many cases, the police had failed to take lawful action. Apart from that some cases were reported regarding abuse of power by police while few of the complainants alleged that they were falsely implicated.
HSHRC Registrar (Judicial) Sunil Kumar Chaudhary said that every state has got a State Human Rights Commission for protection of human rights in a particular State. If any person has a grievance that his or her human rights are being violated then they may approach the respective state commission where the alleged act has been committed. Complaint may be made to the Commission by the victim or by any other person on his behalf.
“The Commission is concerned with the rise of crime cases against people involving state police forces. Action is being taken based on merit of the registered case,” he said.
He said that Human rights include all such rights which are necessary for a person to live a free, comfortable and proper life. An individual does not just have the right to sustain life but has a right to enjoy it with dignity.
According to another official at the Commission, complaints pertaining to serious violations against children, women, labourers, defence forces, juveniles of shelter homes, persons belonging to SC/ST/OBC, minorities have been reported.
In addition to reporting of religious and communal violence, the human rights violations involving various departments like health department, jail, police department, pollution, ecology, service matter among others have also been reported at the Commission.
As per the available report, maximum complaints against state police have been reported and most of them pertained to serious violations, such as custodial deaths, torture and false implications by police and jail authorities.
A Panchkula based social activists said that people’s safety is one of the primary tasks of the policemen but it is quite embarrassing for the police department in Haryana that so many complaints were reported against the policemen at the Commission over the last one and half year.
Questions are raised on morality and integrity of some policemen who are dealing with the cases and are allegedly involved in harassment of the innocent people.
He added some previous data revealed that the Haryana Police are not only involved in human rights violation but there is a common tendency among senior officials to save their subordinates who are responsible for violating human rights.