The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has acknowledged a complaint regarding the Uttar Pradesh Police’s alleged excessive use of force during a protest in Meerut related to the Lalita Gautam murder case. NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo’s Bench has issued notices to the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh, instructing them to provide an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days.
Under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, which grants the Commission the authority to investigate reported human rights violations, this action has been initiated. The complaint, lodged by Dr. Ambedkar Jan Kalyan Samiti from Bhopal, accuses the local police of an unprovoked and severe lathi-charge during a peaceful public demonstration in Meerut, resulting in severe injuries to numerous protesters.
According to the complaint, widely circulated videos depict senior police officials assaulting individuals already in custody, which is seen as custodial torture and a grave breach of personal dignity and the legal system. The complainant has requested NHRC’s involvement, urging the Uttar Pradesh government to furnish a comprehensive report, conduct an independent probe into the alleged force usage, authenticate the viral videos to assign individual responsibility, offer medical rehabilitation and legal compensation to the injured victims, and launch criminal and departmental actions against accountable police personnel.
