Two minor brothers "illegally" detained in Shantipur Police Station of Arunachal

Various organizations protest action SP serves show-cause notice to official

OUR CORRESPONDENT

BORDUMSA: Sensation prevails in Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh over the manner in which Police official Mohon Milli treated two children (aged 5 and 15). One of the minors is mentally challenged. Allegedly, the official detained the boy and girl (both minors) in an unlawful manner inside the Shantipur Police Station in the intervening night of February 22 and 23.

Sources informed that the police were on the lookout for a rapist suspected to be hiding in the village. A team of Shantipur Police had taken the father of the minors along with his children in connection with the case (No 04/20/u/s 447/354/34/r/w 4 of POSCO Act) to the police station at around 2 am. The detained persons hail from Jia Village.

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the unhealthy state of the affairs after several organizations condemned the action of Arunachal Police, the Superintendent of Police, Lower Dibang Valley, James Kabang Lego through official memo No SP(LDV) CR-47/2019 dated February 26, 2021 served a show-caused notice to the Inspector Mohon Milli the Investigating Officer of the case.

"Why disciplinary action should not be initiated against you for gross negligence in duty while dealing with the children at the police station', read the memo. Ordering an inquiry to be conducted by Roing Dy SP (Deputy Superintendent of Police-HQ) Ringu Ngupok, the SP on February 26 also directed the Dy SP to submit the reports within three days.

Further, the SP via official letter SP/LDV/ /CR-47/2019 has also prayed for conducting a magisterial inquiry into the case before initiating legal steps to this effect.

Meanwhile the director of 'ChildLine Roing', R.K. Paul Chawang in a letter to the DC-cum-Chairman of 'Childline Advisory Board' alleged that in the referred case there was an instance of a gross violation of Section 10 of the 'Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act'. He pointed out that the two minors were unlawfully kept in the Police Station; adding that there was no record of the duo having any conflict with the law. "We also request you for conducting sensitization-cum-training of the 'Special Juvenile Police Unit Team' on child rights-related Acts'", demanded the NGO.

"For effective redressal of the grievances of the people in this unfortunate case, we are going to organize a peaceful protest rally on March 2 here from Lower Market to the Lower Dibang Valley SP's Office. Our protest would be against the violation of human rights and child abuse by the Police officer whose conduct is in question now," said Vijay Pertin, an active social activist and a member of the Arunachal wing of the 'International Human Rights Council'.

Similarly, the 'Human Rights Law Network of Arunachal' has severally condemned the incident that took place at Shantipur Police Station. "The two minors had to spend the whole night in Police Station after their father was illegally detained for hours in the police custody without any case registered against him," stated a press communiqué of the organization.

Also read: China People's Liberation Army abducted youths still remain untraced: Arunachal Police

Also Watch: Book Launch Event Held at Margherita India Club