NHRC orders fact finding inquiry into 17 cases of UP encounter

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has ordered a fact-finding inquiry into 17 cases of extra-judicial killings in Uttar Pradesh and called for the report to be placed before it within four weeks.

The commission ordered an inquiry on a complaint by Right group Citizen against Hate and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, where they represent nine cases of extra judicial killings in Uttar Pradesh supported by affidavits by victim families that challenged the police version of encounters.

Considering the gravity of the matter, the NHRC has asked its DG(1) to constitute a five-member investigating team consisting of one SSP, two Deputy SSPs and two inspectors to make the fact finding enquiry of all the 17 cases where the alleged encounter killings had taken place by recording the statements of affected families and other necessary examination relating to the alleged incident of encounter deaths and to submit report within four weeks.

The team to be constituted forthwith. Out of these 17 cases, 15 are already registered with the Commission in which reports have been called for. Rest two cases are registered by issuing notices to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the State of Uttar Pradesh with a direction to submit detailed reports within six weeks.

The Commission also directed DGP of Uttar Pradesh to give necessary directions to the concerned investigating officers in all the 17 cases of alleged encounter killings

to submit the status of investigation and produce docum

ents pertaining to cases mentioned above before the Commission.

"We applaud the Commission for considering the urgency of the matter and constituting an investigating team of five members, to conduct an in-depth fact finding enquiry of the 17 cases mentioned in the complaints," said a Joint statement by advocate Prashant Bhushan and Rights group Citizens Against Hate.

Earlier, the Citizens Against hate, an organisation whose members travel led to UP and met families of the encounter victims have said that many of these encounters have been extra judicial killings alleging the UP police of crossing their jurisdiction.