KOCHI: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has indicted the Kerala police for its response to the commission in connection with the death of two Maoists in an alleged encounter at Nilambur a few months ago. The report submitted on behalf of the DGP has been described by the commission as defying the Supreme Court guidelines and ignoring the commission, Mr K. Mohankumar, member of the commission, said in an order on Thursday. The commission has expressed doubts whether the DGP has fulfilled the mandatory requirement of submitting reports to the National Human Rights Commission about encounter deaths in his jurisdiction on January 15 and July 15, 2016. “If the reports have been submitted, a copy of the January 15 report should be provided to the commission,” the order said.
The Supreme Court order in 2014 makes it mandatory that in the case of encounter deaths the NHRC guidelines should be followed. On the question whether the NHRC guidelines have been followed in the Nilambur encounter case, the Malappuram district police head has stated that it was not applicable. Although the commission has asked for clarity, the report submitted by the DGP is silent on the matter. Similarly, the report has also not mentioned the rank and duties of the persons involved in the encounter despite the demand by the commission. The copy of the FIR was also not presented along with the report of the DGP submitted on May 16 this year. Terming the report as incomplete, Mr Mohankumar has ordered the submission of all documents, including the FIR, within three weeks to the commission.
