NHRC recommends monetary relief in UP fake encounter case

New Delhi, Aug.10 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission has recommended that the Uttar Pradesh Government pay three lakh rupees monetary relief each to the next of kin of Ram Shankar and Prabhat Singh, who were both killed in a fake police encounter on September 2, 2003.

The Commission has also asked the State Government to submit compliance report with proof of payment within eight weeks.

The Commission considered this case on two complaints, alleging fake encounter, filed on September 12, 2003 and March 9, 2004 by K.N. Srivastava and Bhansidhar Sahu respectively.

The NHRC found that Ram Shankar and Prabhat Singh were going to Beejpur by train when the police picked them up at the Jharokas Railway Station where they had alighted for some refreshment.

They were taken to the forest within the jurisdiction of Police Post Mayorpur and killed.

The police had then claimed that they were in search of criminals involved in robbery of a bus on September 1, 2003 and in this connection had gone to Rantola jungle on September 2, 2003.

They overheard a conversation among some persons hiding in the Khadpattar Nallah and were convinced that the persons hiding in the Nallah were involved in the robbery.

When the persons were asked to surrender, they started firing at them and in self defence they had to return fire.

However, the CB CID found that the police story of encounter was not correct. A criminal case was also registered against the delinquent police personnel at Police Station Pipri, District Sonebhadra. Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh Government in response to Commission's show cause notice conceded in a letter dated May 13, 2008 that the slain boys' next of kin were entitled to monetary relief. (ANI)