Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) asked the Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF) at New Delhi to probe the allegations of torture of a 40-year-old person who was taken into custody by Khurda Road RPF personnel. The commission, hearing a case lodged by Advocate Nishikant Mishra, asked the DG to submit the enquiry report within a period of four weeks.
According to the complaint, the RPF personnel picked up the victim, Amaresh Gupta, from his residence at Pipli in Puri June 17 on charges of stealing Railway property.
They allegedly kept him in RPF custody illegally for five days before he was produced in court of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate of Khurda June 21.
An accused held by police should be produced in court within 24 hours of his arrest as per the law. However, Gupta was kept in custody for five days and was also allegedly tortured.
He was mercilessly beaten by the RPF officials with iron rods and plastic pipes.
Meanwhile, RPF arrested Gupta despite failing to recover any stolen Railway item from his possession. They also allegedly threatened Gupta of dire consequences if he revealed about the torture before the magistrate.
Subsequently, advocate Mishra lodged a complaint with the Odisha Human Rights Commission which rejected the plea as RPF falls under central government. Later, Mishra moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking intervention of the commission in this matter August 20. He also sought Rs 5 lakh compensation for the victim and action against the erring officers of RPF.