New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) The National Human Rights Commission has sent a notice to the West Bengal government over alleged police brutality, atrocities and "disproportionate use of force" against participants of a 'Nabanna Chalo' (march to secretariat) organised by the youth wing of the BJP in 2020, officials said on Thursday.

The commission, in a statement, said it had registered a case based on a complaint dated October 14, 2020, and issued notices to the state government calling for reports into the allegations of police brutality.

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Based on the material on record, the NHRC has taken a "serious view of the confirmed police brutality, atrocities, and disproportionate force used against the protestors during the peaceful rally 'Nabanna Chalo' organized by the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on October 8, 2020, at Howarh, Dankuni, Santragachi and other places in West Bengal," it said.

The commission has issued a notice to the West Bengal government through its chief secretary to show cause within six weeks why the panel should not recommend that the state pay Rs 1 lakh as relief to the victim whose hair was pulled by the police personnel and was mercilessly beaten, and Rs 50,000 each to the two other victims, who were subjected to brutal physical torture by the police during the march, it said.

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The rights panel observed that it is clear from the documents available on record, the reports received from the Government of West Bengal in response to its notices, and the comments of the complainant thereon, that the "peaceful march was organised without the permission of the government".

"Be that as it may, the police resorted to using excessive and disproportionate force; colour/chemical mixed water was used in the cannon to easily identify the protesters for selective beatings. The commission does not approve such kind of unethical practices being adopted by the police upon citizens," it added.

It is admitted on record by the state government that the police had chased the protesters which makes clear that the people who were part of the march were subjected to severe beatings by the police, the statement said.

The pictures of the victims depicting the scene on the spot are sufficient to prove that "disproportionate force was used and people were brutally beaten up and dragged for a considerable distance", it said.

Beating women in full public view by the male police personnel in such a brutal manner that one of the victims got her finger fractured and another's hair was pulled and many of them sustained injuries, is a serious issue of violation of human rights and a matter of concern for the Commission, the statement said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)