Ever since prohibitive orders are in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus, there have been incidents of police personnel attacking people and their vehicles for violating rules, besides giving novel punishments.
Taking note of this, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a report from the Director General of Police. Notice has been issued over an incident in Dharmapuri district, where police vandalised a vehicle of a person on charges of violating prohibitive orders.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report in this regard, the SHRC acting chairperson D Jayachandran has called for a report from the Director General of Police and Superintendent of Police of Dharmapuri District within two weeks.
As per the media report, police personnel vandalised vehicles that were found to be violating the prohibitory orders on Netaji Bypass Road in Dharmapuri last week. In the letter, thee TNSHRC said, ‘Call for a report from the Director General of Police, Tamilnadu, Chennai and Superintendent of Police, Dharmapuri District within 2 weeks…the matter will be listed for further consideration before this commission after 4 weeks. Before that date, you are required to submit the report by post without fail.’
In another letter addressed to Tamilnadu Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, the SHRC called for testing, especially among the underprivileged population, including transgender whose awareness may not be very much, and who may not know the importance of testing. Acting chairperson D Jayachandran and member A Chittaranjan Mohandoss sought a status report on action taken on its recommendations by departments concerned within 10 days. “In many of the areas, water is being supplied on alternate days, the frequency may be increased, and the health workers should be advised to educate the people in their allotted areas on the importance of personal hygiene,” it said. Various departments of the government are only for serving the public. While it is true that some violate rules, they should be treated as per law and the police are not supposed to attack them.