CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed DGP to provide training to police personnel on how to treat disabled individuals during inquiry or investigation into complaints lodged against them.
Justices R Subramanian and K Kumaresh Babu passed the orders on an appeal filed by advocate L Muruganantham, who sought enhanced compensation alleging violation of his rights by police while arresting him.
All police personnel must be trained in treating disabled individuals in accordance with Supreme Court and human rights commission guidelines. It also directed the DGP to nominate a nodal officer to every district for proper maintenance of CCTV cameras at all police stations.
Referring to the plea of the petitioner, the bench ordered a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to him. He approached the high court for Rs 50 lakh compensation, appealing against an order for Rs 1 lakh issued by the State Human Rights Commission, which had also told police to take disciplinary action against sub inspector P Karthikeyan for violating the guidelines while arresting Muruganantham in 2020 in connection with a quarrel over grazing cattle on family’s land at Dharapuram.
He said the guidelines and human rights were violated by the police officer though he was informed that the petitioner suffered from Becker’s muscular dystrophy. The high court dismissed a petition filed by the SI and imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on him for unnecessary litigation.