Police brutality doubles in 6 yrs

Maharashtra Human Rights Commission gets complaints about custodial tortures and deaths and staged encounters

Maharashtra Human Rights Commission gets complaints about custodial tortures and deaths and staged encounters

The Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (HRC) has slammed the state police force in its annual survey foru00a0 poor record.

According to the 2007 survey, the number of cases of violation of human rights by the police force have risen from 994 in 2001 to 1,991 in 2007.
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The results of the survey were released last week.

Jayashri Patil, research head, Maharashtra HRC, said, "The cases registered with the commission have been increasing every year, but those against the police have topped the charts for the last five years."

Guilty

She added that the commission receives complaints from all over Maharashtra about custodial torture, custodial deaths and even staged encounters.

TORTURED: This year, the HRC came across four such cases where the Mumbai and Pune police were found guilty of violating human rights.

In 2009, the HRC came across four such cases where the Mumbai and Pune police were found guilty of violating human rights. "Cases against the police are mostly against high rank officials," Patil told MiD DAY.

Mihir Desai, a human rights lawyer, said, "I am not surprised by the results of the survey.

Often there is a misuse of power in the form of corruption and brutality in the police force. Various encounters and custodial tortures are evidence of this."

He added, 'However, I agree that maximum number of cases come up because the police are hard-pressed on duty."

Voices

I was not aware of any commission for protection of human rights. But I don't think u00a0it's a good idea to file a case against the police force. I am scared of the police and don't u00a0feel secured with their u00a0protection.
Rinku Das (21)

The police are under u00a0tremendous work pressure, and certainly tend to misuse their power. The number of cases of violation of human rights are bound to increase considering u00a0the corruption. How can a u00a0person like me feel secure with police protection?"
Prabha Hegde (22)

Cases against police
> Violence against minorities
> Encounter killings in Maharashtra
> High rates of custodial deaths and extrajudicial executions

130
Number of prisoners who died in judicial custody in Maharashtra between April 1, 2006 and May 31, 2007

The Other Side
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy said, "We work under strenuous conditions to build up a strong police force. We take all measures to ensure that the police force does not infringe human rights.
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I would like to tell the HRC that they should have checked if the cases registered against us are by true victims or criminals, who use the law against the police force."