Madhya Pradesh: Police Brutality Involving Minor Boy, Mother Beaten By Police Officers
A shocking video has emerged of police officers in Madhya Pradesh beating a minor boy and his mother. The viral video that cropped up on social media brought to the forefront a case of police brutality and raised questions of serious import regarding the conduct of the law enforcers there.
The Incident
The video that has gone viral online shows a horrific scene at Katni, Madhya Pradesh, where a group of police officers are seen beating a 15-year-old boy with a lathi. The young boy happens to be from a Dalit family. Be it SHOs or others; all are seen beating the minor mercilessly while others are standing as spectators, indulging in viewing the brutality.
After the first assault, the officers leave and things get further out of hand. A woman gets up from a chair nearby, where she sat and watched the violence; she takes a thick stick and starts brutally thrashing the mother of the boy with it. She just adds to the horror of the brutality. The screaming of the mother and son for some help or intervention is no use. The violence continues.
Public Outcry and Response
The video has, for the first time, outraged social media-something citizens, activists, and politicians of all hues have branded the police on excesses. It has nailed the deep-seated issues relating to police brutality and the mistreatment of the weakest sections of society in India. The outrage, with many at a loss for words on ground-level horror, spilled into demands for immediate action against the officers involved from all quarters.
The incident has sparked serious demands from famous social activists and human rights organizations for a thorough probe. They feel that the police must not be allowed to abuse their powers, adding that the perpetrators must be brought to book. As the victims are from a Dalit family, this raises concerns about caste-based violence and discrimination, issues that persist across much of India.
Official Statements and Investigations
Additional SP Santosh Deheria reacted to the viral video and public outcry, and told ANI news agency, “Yes, a video has gone viral. It relates to the GRP station Katni, but no written complaint has been received in this regard.”. Deheria added that a complaint was required, after which, depending on the facts available, an investigation could be conducted.
The lack of a complaint has raised many questions about how easily complaints are available and accessible, especially for marginalized communities. Indeed, there may be fear of retaliation or further abuse if any approach is made-which could be another big reason behind not reporting such crimes.
Police Brutality in India: Larger Questions
It is not an isolated incident but part of the regular pattern of police atrocities in India. Reports of excesses, torture, and custodial deaths have surfaced from time to time in various parts of the country. In fact, such incidents have set off debates on the need for police reforms and mechanisms of accountability to protect citizens’ rights.
Police abuse of authority, particularly against communities that are most marginalized and vulnerable, furthers the erosion of public trust in law enforcement. This also serves to illustrate how imperative it is that systemic changes be enacted so as to prevent abuses like this from happening, and to bring law enforcement agencies within the letter and spirit of the law and respect for human rights.
Calls for Justice and Accountability
The ruthless assault on the minor boy and his mother has brought dismarring calls for justice in various quarters. Human rights groups, experts from the legal fraternity, and concerned citizens have strongly urged that immediate suspension of police personnel accused in the case be done, together with conducting a neutral investigation into the matter. The demand for better training and sensitization of police personnel to avoid the recurrence of such incidents has also been called for.
According to legal experts, victims have a right to seek justice under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which has strict punishment for atrocities against members of the scheduled castes and tribes. The case also highlights the need to establish strong machinery with regard to monitoring police behavior and providing redress to victims of police abuse.
To read more about the related article, click here
