Bhubaneswar: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the chief secretary of Odisha to explain why the commission should not recommend monetary compensation of Rs 10,000 to Mita Sethi, a resident of Bhadrak district, who was allegedly assaulted by police officers at Chandbali police station in June last year.
NHRC issued the directive on Jan 16, following a petition by human rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.The complaint detailed that on June 25, 2024, Mita Sethi was assaulted at the Chandbali police station over a minor incident involving her child.
According to the petition, Sethi, her husband, and their child had visited the police station for a case-related matter. While at the premises, their child was playing with a shoe cover, which accidentally fell. An on-duty constable asked Sethi to pick it up. When she refused and argued, the constable slapped her. Two other officers reportedly joined in the assault. The incident was captured on a mobile phone by bystanders and later went viral on social media.