New Delhi, May 7, 2022, (LAB) The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Madhya Pradesh for illegally detaining juveniles on suspicion of theft in Tikamgarh district
Taking suo motu cognizance of the media report that four juveniles were illegally detained in police custody on suspicion of theft in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh since April 30, 2022, the NHRC directed the authorities to submit a detailed report on the matter within four weeks
The NHRC observed that the news report also reveals that the juveniles were chained by the police and there were injuries on their bodies indicating that they are being subjected to torture.
NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Madhya Pradesh Government, and directed them to submit a detailed report on the matter within four weeks. The NHRC asked the officials to submit the present status of the case before the Juvenile Justice Board stating the medical condition of the children. The Commission directed that the delinquent police official who flaunted the law by infringing inalienable and unfiltered human rights enshrined in the Commission and in Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 should be immediately identified.
The NHRC observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a gross violation of the rights of the children. The juveniles cannot be detained in a police station. Even if, the police believed that they committed a crime they should have been given to the care of the juveniles police unit or a designated child welfare police officer. The juveniles should have been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board within 24 hours of their arrest and they are not supposed to be chained in any case.
According to the media report, the arrest of these minor boys is not even mentioned in the police record. The news report also claims that the children, were picked up on the basis of the footage of the CCTV on a complaint of theft of Rs. 1.5 lakh from a branch of the State Bank of India./LAB/SNG