The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action-taken report (ATR) from the State’s Chief Secretary and DGP over the brutal attack by police personnel on a lawyer under the Chauliaganj police station of Cuttack and another lawyer at the Baleswar railway station.
Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist RadhakantaTripathy, the NHRC has asked for response from the State authorities within four weeks.
On August 28, lawyer Debi Prasanna Pattnaik was allegedly beaten up by police personnel in public view at Shastri Nagar in Nuabazar area of Cuttack.
On September 13, 2018, another lawyer SubhrakantSatpathy was at the Baleswar railway station at 11.30 pm to see off his relative and when he tried to oppose the brutality of cops against an old man, he was attacked by police.
While Pattnaik was attacked by a few police officials following a verbal duel near Nua Bazaar bridge the lawyer, who had sustained critical injuries in the attack, was later admitted to the SCB Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association resorted to a cease-work agitation as a mark of protest. Judicial work in all the courts in Cuttack including the High Court has remained paralysed due to the cease-work strike being observed by the lawyers.
At this critical juncture the State Home and Law Department are unable to solve the situation. The inaction and failure of the State to address the issue has led to the gross violation of basic human rights of the injured lawyers and the litigants including those in the prisons, Tripathy alleged.
The police brutality in both the cases pose serious question of human rights. No action has been taken against the errant police officials, nor did the State ensure appropriate medical care free of cost. The victims have not yet been compensated.
Tripathy requested the commission to investigate these serious cases through a team of the NHRC, direct the State through the DGP, Secretaries of Home and Law and to take action against the errant police officials and pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the injured lawyers.
He also requested National Human Rights Commission to ensure working f courts and fill up the vacancies of the Odisha Human Rights Commission to ensure basic human rights of lakhs of suffering people.