NHRC indicts MP police death case due to torture, asks for initiation of criminal proceedings

The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Government, through its chief secretary to show cause within eight weeks why a sum of Rs.5 lakh be not granted as interim relief to the next of kin of Netram, who was tortured to death by police in District Datia in the month of March this year.

The Commission took cognizance of the case on the basis of an intimation received from the District Magistrate, Datia that on the 30th March, 2013 Netram Khangar was found hanging from a tree in the field of Palothar village. Subsequently, a complaint was also received alleging that Netram was killed in police custody.

Justice Shri D. Murugesan, Member of the Commission, while considering various reports, has observed that all was not well with police and the doctors in the case of murder. After brutal torture, Netram was hanged on the tree by the police to make it appear a case of suicide. The doctors failed in their duty in properly identifying all the injuries and submitted a false report.

The Commission has asked the chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh to conduct an independent inquiry to find out the police officials involved in his torture, and initiate criminal and departmental proceedings against them and departmental proceedings against the three doctors who did not disclose 19 injuries on the Netram's body in the first post-mortem. These came to light only in the succeeding post-mortem.

The Magisterial enquiry had concluded that a special police team was on lookout for clues regarding abduction. On the 19th March, 2013 the team apprehended Netram along with his two brothers, Lal Singh and Brij Lal. They were tortured in police custody. Netram reached a stage where his death was imminent and then he was hung from a tree to present it as a case of suicide.