The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over an incident in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli, wherein two minor girls – accused in a case of cow slaughter – were reportedly sent to jail, rather than a juvenile home, as mandated by the law.
Basing its notice on a media report dated 10 April, the NHRC said:
The Commission has observed that the the contents of the news report about the incident, if true, amount to gross violation of human rights of the two minor girls. Not sending the minor girls to juvenile home, if they are in conflict with the law, is a violation of the statutory obligation on part of the public servant.NHRC release
The notice, issued to the DGP and Chief Secretary of the UP government, has sought a report regarding the matter to be filed within four weeks.
A report published by The Quint on 25 April details how a 13-year-old minor spent three months in jail after she was arrested, along with six others member of her family and two of her neighbours, on charges of cow slaughter.
We Were Beaten, Abused: Minor Accused of Cow Slaughter in Khatauli
Among those taken into custody were the minor girl's 17-year-old elder sister and 15-year-old brother.
"We were abused and beaten up by the police. They forced us out of our home and threatened us when we tried to question them," the teenager told The Quint.
The minor's grandfather, Hazi Naseer, had claimed that those who were arrested had nothing to do with the cow slaughter. He had also blamed the police for bringing disrepute to the family and arresting the minor girls.
The Police Version
Meanwhile, according to the version of the police, the men and women in question were not just caught slaughtering cows, but had also attacked its personnel.
Speaking to The Quint, Omveer Singh, SP City, Muzaffarnagar, had refuted the family's claim that three minors were arrested.
I don’t know how are you calling them minors. They were all in jail and then granted bail by the High Court. The age on Aadhaar card can’t be taken as the final word.Omveer Singh, SP City, Muzaffarnagar
According to reports, the police had allegedly refused to acknowledge the Aadhaar cards of the minor girls, which were presented as evidence to them to highlight their age.
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