SHRC issues notice to top cop over beating up of minor boy in Tamil Nadu

Taking note of a video purportedly showing a minor boy being beaten up by police here, the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued notice to the city Police Commissioner seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The boy was beaten up over alleged lockdown violations by his parents who run an eatery in the city. The SHRC action comes amid the public outrage over the death of a father-son duo in Tuticorin district due to alleged police torture.

The Commission issued the notice to Coimbatore police commissioner Sumit Saran seeking a report on the incident within two weeks, police sources said. The video of the incident that took place in Rathinapuri here on June 17 has gone viral.

In the clip, the sub-inspector is seen asking an elderly couple to shut their eatery as it was open beyond the restricted lockdown hours following which an argument ensues between them, which was captured by the couple's 16-year-old son on his mobile phone.

It was alleged that the boy removed the SI's motorcycle key after the police snatched his phone. The SI then allegedly beat the boy up and threatened to lodge him in jail.

Though the boy was taken to a police station, he was later let off since he was a minor studying in class nine, the sources said.

The video surfaced after the Tuticorin incident sparked an outcry in the country and brought into focus alleged police excesses