India rights body orders probe into police public beatings in Jammu
Commission cites human rights violations after suspects beaten, stripped and paraded by police in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — India’s national human rights watchdog has ordered an inquiry into allegations that police publicly beat and paraded suspects in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, describing the incidents as a serious violation of human rights.
The National Human Rights Commission of India said it had taken cognizance of two incidents in Jammu last year in which suspects were allegedly assaulted, humiliated and displayed in public by police personnel.
According to the commission, three men accused in a shooting case were beaten by police in public view in June last year in the Gangyal area. In a separate incident days later, another suspect accused of robbery was reportedly assaulted, partially stripped and paraded on a police vehicle in the Bakshi Nagar area.
The commission said the allegations, supported by a complaint filed by a group of lawyers, constituted “serious violations” of the suspects’ human rights. It directed the senior police official in Jammu to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within two weeks.
The complaint, filed by Jammu-based lawyer Nikhil Padha and supported by other legal professionals, alleged that police actions amounted to public humiliation and punishment before trial. Videos circulating on social media reportedly showed suspects being handcuffed, beaten and marched through streets while surrounded by police personnel.
In one of the incidents, the complaint alleged that a suspect was dragged from a police vehicle and forced onto the bonnet, while officers struck and pushed him in public view. A public address system reportedly announced the suspect as a “professional thief” as he was paraded through the streets.
The complaint further alleged that the suspect was forced to wear a garland of shoes — a form of public humiliation — while bystanders watched and recorded the incident.
Police officials had defended their actions in one of the incidents, saying the suspects attempted to disrupt an investigation and intimidate officers, prompting the use of force to maintain order.
However, rights advocates argue that public punishment and humiliation undermine due process and erode rule of law. The complaint warned that such actions risk normalizing vigilante-style policing and creating dangerous precedents.
The incidents also drew comparisons to earlier controversial security actions in Kashmir that sparked debate over excessive force and accountability.
The rights commission’s intervention now places pressure on authorities to investigate the conduct of police personnel and determine whether disciplinary or legal action is warranted.
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