Act against cops refusing to register SC/ST atrocity cases,

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has directed Jharkhand's Ramgarh district administration to take strict action against police officials who refuse to register FIRs over alleged atrocities against SCs.

NCSC member Yogendra Paswan was here on Monday to meet an SC family, whose three members were gunned down allegedly by a constable of Railway Police Force (RPF) on August 16.

"Police should immediately register complaint and file chargesheet against the accused. Some police officers' refusal to file FIRs under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is a major concern for the commission," Paswan said.

Paswan told reporters, in presence of Ramgarh SP Prabhat Kumar and Deputy Commissioner Sandip Singh, that his directive comes in the wake of reports from various states about alleged refusal by some police officers to lodge cases over alleged atrocities against SCs.

The NCSC member said he has directed the district administration to ensure justice to the family of railway porter Ashok Ram, who along with his wife Lilawati Devi and pregnant daughter Meena Devi, were shot dead allegedly by RPF constable Pawan Kumar Singh, at Barkakana in the district on August 16.

Ram's daughter Suman Devi and son Chintu Ram were injured in the incident.

His another son Bittu Ram had said that the constable had open fire on his family members after being denied milk because of an outstanding amount of Rs 1,200.

Deputy Commissioner Singh said the surviving victims have requested the district administration for a house.

"I told the victims' family they can identify any area where they want to reside in and we will allot a land and build a house for them," he said.

Paswan said the victims have been given a compensation of Rs 9.47 lakh by the Railways