Bihar Human Rights Commission directs Rs 25,000 compensation for police atrocity victim

PATNA: The Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) today recommended Rs 25,000 compensation for a tyre repair shop owner, who was illegally detained and assaulted by the SHO of Dhansoi police station in Buxar district. The amount would be recovered from the salary of the erring police official, the Commission recommended.

The incident happened on November 18, 2013 when Vivek Kumar, the shop owner asked for Rs 30 from a police clerk as the charge for repairing SHO Mahendra Prasad's motorcycle. This infuriated the SHO who came, asked Kumar to show the license for his shop and then dragged him to the police station, where he was brutally assaulted and then confined in the lockup.

"Kumar complained to us that the SHO made his father and uncle cough up Rs 15,000 as bribe to secure his release from the lockup," said BHRC member Neelmani. The incident had generated wide public protests and the Buxar Sub-divisional Police Officer had to intervene. "On the directions of BHRC, the Buxar SP probed the incident and submitted a report which held the Dhansoi SHO guilty. He was immediately sent to the police lines. We have now asked departmental proceeding against the culprit to be fast-tracked and decision to be taken within four months," said Neelmani.