NHRC notice to Delhi police chief over man ending life after 'physical torture' in custody

New Delhi: The NHRC on Friday said it has issued a notice to the Delhi police commissioner over reports that a man allegedly died by suicide after being subjected to "physical torture" in police custody, and sought a report in two weeks.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a statement said according to the media report, the "victim had injury marks on his body".

The commission has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that a man killed self on July 11, after alleged physical torture by police at Dwarka North police station, Delhi," the statement said.

Reportedly, the victim was taken to police custody on July 10, for questioning in connection with a "complaint of theft" made against him by a woman supervisor, it added.

A "suicide note" has been recovered. The man was from Delhi's Nangli Vihar area and was working as a "contract employee with the IP University", it said.

The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the man, because of which it has issued a notice to the Delhi police commissioner, seeking a detailed report in two weeks.

According to the media report, carried on July 12, "the victim had injury marks on his body. He was also given electric shocks, due to which there was swelling in his ear".

The report further said that he was taken to the hospital by the family members, from where he was referred to the Indira Gandhi hospital for treatment. The next day, the victim was "found hanging in his room," it added.