Expressing concern over the alleged police brutality on a tribal on plea of being a Maoist, Angul-based Human Rights Watch, basing on a published news item has sought intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) appealing to it to ensure justice to the victim, besides stringent action against the top police personnel involved in the incident.
According to the complainant, Human Rights Watch secretary Sangita Swain, the Baipariguda police in Koraput district on September 13 illegally arrested Samar Krishani of Kebata Antala village under Baipariguda block and kept him in jail for 15 days and tortured him.
The complainant has too alleged that both Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Singh and Koraput SP Avinash Kumar along with Jeypore SDPO Mitrabhanu Mohapatra brutally assaulted Antala to ascertain about his “involvement” in the Sunki Ghat landmine blast, in which he was not involved at all.
However, due to the intervention of local CPI leaders the police freed him after beating him black and blue. The illegality and brutality of the police came to light when the victim briefed mediapersons on September 30 at Jeypore.
The complainant has stated that since the victim has sustained sever multiple injuries, a sum of `5 lakh should be given to him as compensation, besides initiating criminal proceedings against those responsible for the incident.