NHRC notice to Maharashtra police chief over death of activist in attack in Palghar district

The NHRC has issued a notice to Maharashtra police and Palghar district administration over the fatal attack on a political activist at a stone quarry in Palghar district.

The NHRC on Wednesday said it has issued a notice to Maharashtra police chief and the Palghar district administration over reports that a ''political activist'', who had gone to ''inspect'' a stone quarry along with a revenue officer, was fatally attacked by a group of people associated with its operators.

Reportedly, complaints were received on a government portal regarding alleged illegal operations at the stone quarry, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement.

The rights panel said it has ''taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a political activist and a mandal revenue officer (MRO), who had gone to inspect a stone quarry, were attacked by a group of people associated with the quarry operators in the Shirgaon locality of Virar East in Palghar district, Maharashtra, on May 12''.

The activist died in the attack and the MRO sustained injuries, the statement said.

The Commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of the human rights of the victims.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the Director General of Police of Maharashtra and the District Magistrate of Palghar, seeking a detailed report in two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the investigation and health of the revenue officer, the statement said.

According to the media report, carried on May 12, the victims were dragged out of their vehicle upon arrival at the site and assaulted with sticks and stones. The perpetrators also vandalised their vehicle, it said.

In a separate statement, the NHRC said it has issued notices to the Telangana police chief and the district magistrate of Hyderabad, over reports alleging that five environmental activists, protesting against the tree-felling around the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park in Hyderabad, Telangana, were ''arbitrarily arrested and detained for several hours'' at the police station on May 13.

Reportedly, an FIR was filed against them under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita before they were released on bail. The sections deal with wrongful restraint, aggravated mischief causing damage to property and criminal intimidation, it said.

The Commission observed that ''the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights''.

The NHRC said it has taken cognisance of the issue. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Director General of Police, Telangana and the District Magistrate of Hyderabad, seeking a detailed report in two weeks.

According to the media report, carried on May 13, one of the volunteers was detained by the police after the protest, and four other activists, who had gone to the police station to enquire about him, were also detained subsequently, the statement said.