National Human Rights Commission seeks report on minor girl's detention in Noida

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a 14-year-old girl was detained at a police chowki and a police station in Noida for eight days. She was allegedly beaten, burnt with cigarettes and given electric shocks.

According to media reports, family members of the victim had stated that she was detained by the police on May 14, at Salarpur police chowki, where she remained till May 16. They were not allowed to meet her and she was released on May 16. The police again picked up the girl along with her 17-year-old brother. 

Both of them were finally released on May 22, following the intervention of an NGO, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and an order from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

The NHRC has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, indicate cruelty of the police personnel which deserves exemplary punishment. That would give a message that such inhuman act by a public servant cannot be accepted at any cost. The law does not empower the police personnel to humiliate innocent citizens.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks. He is also expected to send the report about the steps taken for rehabilitation of the victim.

Reportedly, the CWC, on May 23, ordered a medical examination of the girl. The Medico-Legal Case (MLC) report has revealed "Brown-shaped circular discolorations" near her left and right wrists linking these to burnt marks. The report has also mentioned abrasions on the right forearm near the elbow. The report specifically clarified that all injuries are more than 10 days old, caused by the hard and blunt object.

The Station House Officer of the Sector-39 Police station, has denied the allegations of illegal detention and torture. He has claimed that the girl was not a minor. The MLC, however, confirmed that the girl is a minor.