Probe ordered into RPF custodial torture of two minors

OST Bureau
Cuttack, Jan 8:

IG, Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Wednesday ordered a high-level probe into the brutalities committed by RPF personnel on two minor boys who were mercilessly beaten up while they were detained inside the lock-up for eight days.

As per the order, the Divisional Security Commissioner would form a three-member team comprising one Assistant Commandant and two Inspectors to probe into the case.

The two boys, Bikash (14) of Jobra and Loknath (12) of Railway Colony, rescued by district child protection officer Pragati Mohanty -with the help of others on Tuesday after the matter was brought to the notice of the collector by some media persons- were taken into custody by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on the night of December 31 for allegedly stealing some wheat from the railway goods shed near Platform no 4/5 of the Cuttack railway station.
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Curiously, no FIR was lodged in this regard nor even a verbal complaint made by anybody. Instead of being produced in a court – which, in their case, should have been the designated Juvenile Justice Board – the very next day, they were kept in the lock up for over a week, in gross violation of all rules and norms.

Narrating their ordeal, the two terrified minors informed the media that they were fed just once a day and beaten up with clubs by three policemen at a time twice a day.

“While two policemen tied up our hands and feet, the third policeman rained lathis on us,”they told media persons with tears rolling down their cheeks.

The RPF personnel also did not spare the media persons who came to the rescue of the two minor boys. The IIC of the RPF police station Ashok Das abused and manhandled the media contingent and even damaged the camera of a TV crew.