The NHRC said on Monday that it has issued notices to the West Bengal government and the state's police chief over reports that a couple was allegedly mercilessly beaten up in a village in Uttar Dinajpur district in full public view by a group of people.
The main perpetrator is allegedly associated with "the political party in power in West Bengal" and could be seen in a viral video, severely beating up the couple surrounded by a group of people, as spectators, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement.
The media report also quoted a video of the incident on social media, it added.
The rights panel, looking into the gravity of the issue, has also asked its Director General (Investigation) to "immediately constitute and send a team, headed by an officer, not below the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police, to visit the place of the incident to conduct an on-the-spot fact-finding inquiry in the matter and to submit a report to the Commission, at the earliest," it said.
The alleged public flogging of the couple in Lakshmipur village of Chopra division in Uttar Dinajpur district has sparked an outrage, with Governor C V Ananda Bose seeking a report from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while the BJP accused the ruling TMC of "unleashing Taliban rule" in the state.
The man seen in the viral video beating up the couple with a bamboo stick was identified as Tajmul alias 'JCB', purportedly a TMC leader of Chopra area. He was arrested last night.
The police registered a case on Sunday after the video clip of the incident, which occurred on Friday, went viral on social media. PTI could not independently verify the video.
The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the couple who was mercilessly beaten up in Uttar Dinajpur district in full public view, by a group of people, the statement said.
According to the media report carried on June 30, the allegations of a love affair between the victim couple were discussed in an open meeting (panchayat) by the annoyed villagers. Then, the miscreants started beating the duo, it said.
The Commission has observed the content of the news report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of the couple's human rights.
Accordingly, the Commission has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of West Bengal, seeking a detailed report within one week. It should include the status of the police investigation, the health status of the victims and medical treatment if any, provided to them, the statement said.
The Commission would also like to know about the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the state government to ensure that such incidents of violation of the human rights of citizens, by politically protected goons, do not recur, it added.
Issuing the notices, the Commission has further observed that the reported "cruel and disgraceful act" of the miscreants in the incident without any fear of law indicates that the state authorities "have not learnt any lessons" either from the shameful incidents that occurred in the past or from the concern raised by the NHRC, the statement said.
The Commission has noted that this is "not an isolated incident" that recently occurred in the state of West Bengal wherein, the law has been taken into hands by unruly elements, victimising innocent people, especially women.
"As mentioned in the instant news report, in a similar incident, a woman was allegedly made naked and beaten up in Cooch Behar. Apart from this, the Commission has also taken cognisance of the shameful incidents of indignity to women that occurred in Sandeshkhali area of district North 24 Parganas in West Bengal wherein a man allegedly associated with a political party had subjected the women to sexual abuse and torture.
"In this matter, a team headed by an member of the Commission had also visited to conduct an on-the-spot inquiry into the matter," it added.
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