NHRC issues notice to DGP Chhattisgarh over stripping of two women in Bilaspur

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued a notice to Chhattisgarh DGP over allegedly stripping and beating a 60-year-old woman and her 27-year-old daughter in police custody in Bilaspur.

Taking suo motu cognizance, the Commission asked the Director General of Police to submit a report in four weeks along with action taken against the guilty police personnel.

"While issuing the notice, the Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the victims. Once a person is taken into custody, it becomes the duty of the police authorities to ensure his/her safety. But in this case, the police personnel themselves appear to have behaved in a cruel and inhuman manner and subjected the victims to physical torture," the NHRC said in a statement.

A 60-year-old woman and her 27-year-old daughter were arrested on the charges of theft. They were allegedly stripped and severely beaten up by a woman police officer in front of her male colleagues at city kotwali police station in Bilaspur on October 14.

Reportedly, being a patient of hypertension, the mother requested for medical treatment, but was not heard.

Citing media reports, the NHRC said the matter came to light only when both the victims were produced before the Court where they narrated the traumatic tale of police brutality.

The Court has ordered an inquiry by a gazetted officer and the report has been sought by October 26. The Court has also mentioned about injuries of the victims and that they were unable to walk.

--IANS

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