NHRC sends notice to Uttar Pradesh government, DGP over killing of murder accused by mob

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief over reports of a man accused of committing murder being fatally thrashed by a mob in a village, officials said on Tuesday.

The Commission observed that it has perused the reports of the incident of "cruel high-handedness" by the villagers, taking law in their hands that too in the presence of police force, cannot be denied. "A well-equipped police team was present on the spot when the victim was brutally attacked with sticks and stones," the NHRC said.

The Commission, taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, directed issuance of notice to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, seeking a detailed report within four weeks, including status of the investigation of the cases registered in connection with both the cases of murder, officials said.

The Commission also directed to issue notice to the chief secretary to the government of Uttar Pradesh, seeking a report as to whether any relief has been granted to the next of kin of the deceased as the "state has failed to secure the right to fair trial of the victim," the NHRC said in a statement.

He is also expected to inform status of any disciplinary action initiated against the delinquent officers or officials, it said.

According to the police, the man was from Gorakhpur and had come to the village, looking for a teacher, Sudhir Kumar Singh, and as soon as he saw Singh, he took out his father's gun and killed him, the NHRC said.

After shooting the teacher, the man tried to escape but on spotting a crowd outside the house, he climbed atop a terrace, waved the gun and fired to keep the villagers at bay. A police team followed him to the terrace but the man escaped and was caught by a crowd, which set upon him, it added.

The videos relating to the incident emerged later, showed the man in police custody before the mob grabbed and attacked him, the rights panel said.