Hashimpura massacre: HC seeks UP govt response on NHRC plea

Delhi High Court today sought the response of Uttar Pradesh government on a plea by NHRC challenging a trial court's decision to acquit 16 policemen of charges of murder and other crimes in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case, in which 42 people were killed in Meerut city.
A bench of justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to the state government and sought its reply by July 21 on the plea of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which has sought ordering of a further probe into the massacre in the Hashimpura locality of Meerut.
NHRC in its plea has sought that "registers, duty register, attendance registers, log-books and other documents relating to the names, duty roster, posting and connected relevant details of PAC personnel" of the platoon which was operating in that area on that day be placed before the court.

It has also sought that the report of the CB-CID inquiry and the findings of the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (retd) Gyan Prakash which probed the massacre be also placed before the bench.
The Commission has sought a number of other directions, including "initiation of disciplinary proceedings against all the concerned police officials".
It has prayed for laying down of guidelines to be followed by investigating agencies in cases of custodial killings and violence as well as a direction that "in cases of custodial violence, a presumption of guilt be made against the accused police officer that the injury and/or death was caused by the police officer having custody of the victim".

NHRC has also sought "separation of the investigative work of the police from the law and order functions" as well as carrying out of a judicial inquiry "immediately and mandatorily" in all cases of custodial death.
Prior to NHRC, the Uttar Pradesh government as well as survivors and kin of the victims of the massacre have moved the court challenging the acquittal of the 16 policemen.