The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports alleging that a journalist was assaulted by two police personnel in the Batala area of Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.
According to reports dated August 7, the incident occurred on August 1, when the journalist was allegedly beaten in full public view after he questioned the officers about their deployment in the area ahead of Independence Day celebrations, said the NHRC in a statement here.
A video purportedly shows the journalist lying motionless while the police personnel walk away following the assault.
Terming the reported incident as a serious violation of human rights, the Commission has issued a notice to the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, seeking a detailed report within two weeks. The report is expected to include the current status of the investigation as well as the health condition of the injured journalist.
The Commission observed that if the contents of the report are true, they raise grave concerns about abuse of power and custodial excesses by law enforcement personnel, said the statement.
