NHRC Directs Assam Government to Compensate Minor Boy Assaulted Inside Police Station

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ordered the Assam government on September 15 to pay Rs 25,000 to a young boy who was assaulted inside a police station in Morigaon district six months ago.

In a letter to Assam Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur on September 14, NHRC Deputy Registrar (Law) Indrajeet Kumar urged the state government to start prosecution proceedings against the accused police officer and pay compensation to the 13-year-old within four weeks.

On March 9, this year, an assistant sub-inspector of police from the Lahorijan police station, Upen Bordoloi, apprehended the boy when he was attempting to steal case property from a confiscated car parked inside the police station.

Later, a video surfaced on social media showing the officer repeatedly beating up the minor boy with a stick inside the police station. The NHRC issued the directive in response to a complaint made by Monojit Singha, a Guwahati resident.

The NHRC order stated that it had taken serious note of the matter since a police officer violating a minor's human rights reveals the deplorable state of affairs.

The report submitted by state police authorities admits and acknowledges the occurrence of the incident wherein the public servant has been found guilty, it said.

A show cause notice was issued to the chief secretary under Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, asking him to explain why the interim relief of monetary compensation amounting to Rs 25,000 was not recommended by the Commission to be paid to the victim in the present case.

“In response to the show cause notice issued by the Commission on July 22, no response has been received so far. Therefore, it appears that the authority concerned has nothing to say in respect of the payment of compensation to the victim of the present case. Hence, a recommendation is made for payment of Rs 25,000 to the victim child by the Assam government through its chief secretary,” the order stated. The chief secretary had failed to reply to the show cause notice issued by NHRC in the case on July 22.

The rights body further asked the chief secretary to guarantee that the compensation amount is disbursed within four weeks and to submit the compliance report, together with evidence of payment, to the Commission by October 22.

In her submission to the NHRC, Morigaon Superintendent of Police Aparna N stated that a case under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act was lodged at Laharighat police station and that following an inquiry, a charge sheet was filed against Bordoloi on May 25.

“The ASI had been placed under suspension for indiscipline, gross misconduct, and dereliction of government duty. Counselling sessions by trained mental health counsellors have been arranged for the minor boy to ensure that there was no mental trauma post the incident,” the report added.