BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report from Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Secretary over the alleged attack by police on lawyers in Cuttack and Balasore.
Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex rights panel sought the response from State authorities within next four weeks.
On August 28, lawyer Debi Prasanna Pattnaik was allegedly beaten up by police personnel following a verbal duel at Shastri Nagar under Chauliaganj police limits in Cuttack.
Similarly, on September 13, another advocate Subhrakant Satpathy was assaulted at Balasore railway station when he was attempting to save an old man from the brutality of cops.
Tripathy said judicial work in all courts in Cuttack including the High Court has remained paralysed due to the cease-work agitation by lawyers for over a month.
The petitioner said police brutality in both the cases posed serious questions of human rights as no action has been taken against the errant police officials, nor did the State ensured medical care free of cost and announce compensation.
Tripathy requested the Commission to direct the State Government to take action against the errant police officials and pay compensation of Rs10 lakh to the injured lawyers besides filling vacancies in Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to ensure basic human rights people.