KOZHIKODE: Kerala Police have found themselves on the back foot as the latest data of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) showed that complaints against police personnel on human rights violations have increased by nearly 100 per cent between April 2015 and March 2016 in the state. Though the number of complaints has increased, the conviction rate was almost nil.
State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) acting chairperson P Mohana Das said though people were bold to come out against the police, they fail to produce evidence as police either destroyed evidence or officers who conducted probe into the complaint helped the accused go scot-free.
However, State Police Chief Loknath Behera said the department has reservations on the observations made by the SHRC. “SHRC is a quasi-judicial body with only civil powers and their verdicts are only recommendative. As per the law, investigational powers are vested with the police.
In case of any misdoings by the police personnel, the department will take necessary action. If the investigation reveals that any police person has destroyed evidence in human rights violation case, the department will take action. We have laid out strict guidelines to be followed in investigation,” said Behera.
Das laid stress on the need to have independent probe agency.
“We need an independent agency to probe the complaints against police personnel. At present, the Commission relies on police agency to get the probe done. In a majority of the complaints, we feel that the issues raised by the complainant are genuine but without concrete evidence. Hence, we can’t take any action against the accused. Police personnel are good at destroying evidence and the complainant will not be in a position to produce concrete evidence,” Mohana Das told Express.
Das said the rise in complaints against the police was due to violation of human rights the police personnel commit in the name of discharging their duty. “The situation is grave. The SHRC has decided to take up the issue with the NHRC,” he said.