PALAKKAD: Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas has directed the district police chief to make a police officer of not less than DYSP rank to conduct an inquiry into the complaints of the police brutalization of minor students in Nenmara and Pattambi.

The inquiry officer should appear in person and submit the report at the sitting to be held on September 10 at Palakkad Govt. Guest House. The action was taken in a suo moto case registered based on newspaper reports.

The first complaint is that on the 26th, a plus two student from Chathamangalam who was standing in front of a shop in Nenmara town was assaulted by Nenmara SI for no reason. The second complaint is that a 16-year-old Plus Two student from Ongallur was beaten up by the Pattambi police who were chasing a bike which did not stop during a vehicle inspection. The order said that the age minority of the assaulted children adds to the seriousness of the case.

Names of the accused police officers, their explanations, statements of the children and their fathers, medical records of the hospital where the children were examined, statements of doctors, other witness statements, and information from the CCTV footage must be submitted along with the report. The report should also contain details of whether any crimes have been registered against the police officers who assaulted the students and whether disciplinary action has been taken against them in the past. The commission demanded that the inquiry be impartial and fair.

Justice Alexander Thomas also asked if the state police chief has issued a circular not to chase vehicles that go without stopping and asked to produce the same if it has been issued.