In a rare indictment exposing police abuse, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission directed the state government to take strict action against a sub-inspector and a constable who assaulted a father and son without provocation and awarded Rs 50,000 in compensation to the victims.
Satish, a resident of Lingarajapuram, was at his gas stove repair shop on July 28 last year. Around 5.30 pm, police sub-inspector Murali and constable Lokesh, attached to the Banaswadi police station and deployed on Hoysala patrol duty, visited the shop and asked him to show his two-wheeler documents.
Satish showed the papers for one vehicle and sought time to bring the documents for another vehicle from his house. The duo started assaulting him. His son Samson came to the shop and the police assaulted him, too.
The victims were bundled into a vehicle and were assaulted again on the way to the police station. Satish was stripped and his valuables were taken.
Meanwhile, the victim’s wife and daughter pleaded with the police not to assault them. But the policemen abused them and also misbehaved with them. The victims’ friends visited the station and later admitted them to Victoria Hospital.
Satish’s wife Pauline filed a complaint before the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), seeking action against the policemen. The commission ordered an investigation against the duo.
The deputy superintendent of police filed a report in February, stating that the two were deployed for Hoysala patrol duty and were not assigned to check vehicle documents. The report said the two unnecessarily visited the victims’ shop and assaulted them, leading to serious injuries.
Both the accused refuted the allegations when they were asked for objections. Banaswadi police inspector Munikrishna D H had not taken action against the duo despite a complaint and had closed the case.
DH had reported the incident on August 2 last year. At that time, sources had said that the police assaulted a man for tucking his hands in his pocket while showing vehicle documents.
Rules violated
Hearing the case on November 14, SHRC member K B Changappa observed that the policemen had assaulted the victims in violation rules and it was a clear case of human rights violation.
He directed the additional chief secretary of the home department to pay Rs 25,000 each to both the victims within a month and recover it from inspector Munikrishna, sub-inspector Murali and constable Lokesh’s salary after a departmental inquiry, and ordered a detailed investigation against the trio.