CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission has ordered a Rs 15,000 compensation to a social activist of Kanchipuram district who was injured by policemen when he questioned them for burning arrack in the open two-and-a-half years ago.
It was in July 2008 that G Raghunathan filed a complaint with the SHRC that he was physically tortured by two senior officials of the Prohibition and Enforcement Wing in Thirukalukundram. He alleged that the respondents, Inspector E Venkatesan and SI Sheela, along with seven police constables, were burning confiscated illicit arrack in the open, which created panic among the people living there, and polluted the air.
When he informed them of the panic they created and questioned them about it, Raghunathan was dragged to the station by the respondents and beaten up by several policemen using sticks, he stated in his petition filed after taking treatment for the injuries at a nearby government hospital.
This week, a single-member SHRC bench, while passing its order, noted that the policemen had admitted that the activist had questioned them about causing air pollution by burning the arrack in the open in front of the station. But they denied harming him physically, and said the injuries may have been caused by a fall on the street after he had consumed alcohol, which the commission found unacceptable.
Calling it depricable that a person was beaten up and injured for only representing what was good for the public, SHRC member S Paramasivan ordered that Raghunathan got a compensation of Rs 15,000 within eight weeks. The Inspector and SI would have to pay up Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively to the government.
