Judicial panel indicts police for Chitrakoot incident

Bhopal, Nov 11 (UNI) The single-member judicial commission has indicted the Madhya Pradesh police for using excess force on the students of the Gramodaya University, Chitakoot who had resorted to road blockade, demanding release of a student abducted by dacoits.

''There was no need for the use of excess force and it was unwarranted and unjustified'' says the report of the Commission, headed by retired High Court Judge N P Singh.

The report on the violent incidents at the university on October 25, 2002, was presented in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on November 8, though the commission had submitted its report to the government on December 30, 2004.

The cabinet, which looked into the report, decided to accept the suggestions and recommendations contained in the report and to take necessary action.

The students staged-peaceful demonstration on October 24, 2002 and resorted to dharna the next day at the university gate demanding release of a student, Awadhesh Pratap Singh, who was abducted on October 7 by dacoits. The dacoits demanded a ransom of Rs four lakh.

Another student, Sandeep Lalawat, who was also abducted on the same day, managed to free himself after a few days. Awadhesh Pratap Singh was, however, released on the night of October 25.

In order to disperse the students, police used 'lathis', lobbed teargas shells and fired in the air. Chasing the students, police entered the university premises damaging private and public vehicles and committed excesses on teachers, students and other staff.

They forcibly entered the boys and girls hostels and misbehaved with the inmates and damaged the computer, telephone, furniture and other fixtures at the Vice Chancellor's chamber.

Ignoring Vice Chancellor Dr T Karunakaran's pleading to desist from firing and other violent means, the police misbehaved and beat him. He was spared only on the intervention of Sub-Divisional Officer (Police) Amit Saxena.

The report said, ignoring the orders of Sub-Divisional Magistrate K D Tripathi, police, entered the university premises and caused physical and mental torture to the Vice Chancellor, teachers, students and others.

''It was the moral responsibility of the state government to compensate the victims of atrocities and violence by the police'', the report said.

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