Kochi: The State Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) has asked the state police chief to issue a circular asking the officials not to summon minors to the police stations unless there is a court order.
The commission also asked DGP Loknath Behra to submit an action taken report in 40 days while asking Mr C.S. Sharon, station house officer of the Varappuzha police station, to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 for assaulting a minor boy. It also directed the Ernakulam rural police superintendent to recover the compensation amount from the officer's salary and give it to the victim, if the officer fails to pay the amount.
The commission made it clear that in family dispute cases, the police should not summon children unless there is a court order. The police, however, can summon a minor if he/she is an accused in a criminal case.
Commission chairperson Shobha Koshi also directed the state police chief to register a case against the officer and asked Ernakulam Rural police to monitor the development. The commission comprising members K. Naseer and Meena Kuruvila initiated action against the officer based on suo motu proceedings following media reports saying that the station house officer had assaulted the 14-year-old boy inside the station. The boy had refused to go with his mother who was living separately owing to family disputes.
