Govt to compensate victims of custodial violence

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) The Government is mulling a law to compensate victims of custodial violence, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said today.

Inaugurating a seminar on 'Custodial Justice' organised by the National Human Rights Commission and the NGO 'PRAJA', he said the Government has ''in principle accepted'' a suggestion by the International Court of Justice that the victims of violence be compensated.

A committee would be formed and the help of the judiciary taken during enactment of the legislation, he said.

The Minister admitted that custodial violence takes place and suggested proper training of police personnel, use of technology, especially in investigation and sensitisation of the people among other measures to curb the crime.

Speaking on the occasion, NHRC Chairperson Dr Justice A S Anand called on the Government to ratify the UN Convention on Torture, which it had signed in 1997.

Terming custodial torture a ''naked violation of human dignity'', he said it was for the authorities to take reformative steps to increase the efficiency and public image of the police force.

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