Police brutality: SC asks Punjab,Bihar to explain

Terming the incidents as shocking and disturbing,the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the recent episodes

Terming the incidents as shocking and disturbing,the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the recent episodes of police brutalities on a woman in Punjabs Taran Taran and on contractual teachers in Bihar,and decided to seek explanations from the two states over their inaction.

The contents of the news items revealed that members of the Punjab Police and Patna Police have mercilessly beaten an unarmed woman and teachers. Both the incidents have shocked the conscience of the entire nation. Unfortunately,the administration of the governments of Punjab and Bihar have not taken adequate steps for protecting the people against the wholly unwarranted action taken by the police at Taran Taran and Patna, said a Bench led by Justice G S Singhvi.

The court noted that these incidents had raised important constitutional issues relating to Article 21 right to life and liberty and dignity of individual.

We,therefore,feel that it is proper for this court to take cognizance of the gross violation of the human rights as well as the constitutional rights of the people, said the Bench while requesting Attorney General G E Vahanvati to assist the court. It also appointed senior advocates Harish Salve and U U Lalit as amicus curiae in the matter and posted the hearing for March 11.

On Sunday,police in Tarn Taran had beaten up a girl and her father in full public view after she complained of sexual harassment. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal later ordered a magisterial probe into the incident after nationwide outrage.

On Tuesday,the police had resorted to lathicharge against protesting contractual teachers in Patna outside the Assembly. The teachers were demanding that their jobs be made permanent and they should get equal pay for equal work.

On Wednesday,the apex court cited number of newspapers clippings on the two incidents and indicated it might call upon the states administration and its senior police officers for an explanation.

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Incidentally,while hearing a separate matter on Monday,Justice Singhvi had expressed his anguish at the manner the women were treated and hence their discomfiture against the system and the police.

A former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court,he recalled an incident wherein four women in Punjab were branded Jeb Katri pickpocket on their foreheads by Amritsar Police personnel.

After the victims had moved the HC in January 1994,the court ordered for immediate plastic surgery for removal of the tattoo. It also granted compensation to them on account of the inhuman torture,besides ordering an inquiry to bring the guilty police officials to book.

It appears that the poor in this country are born with different tags on their heads while the law bends for the rich. We cannot forget the incident wherein the women were branded Jeb Katri and it was removed after our orders, Justice Singhvi had observed while getting an affirmation from senior advocate P S Patwalia that their tattoo were finally removed as per the court orders.

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He also recollected a TV interview of a woman,a victim of gangrape who now runs an NGO for women in Andhra Pradesh. We saw her interview. She was very critical about the manner society treats them and the system in entirety, the judge had observed.