The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday took suo moto cognizance of reports that the police delayed taking action in the incident involving the death of a 14-year old boy, Rajat Menon in a scuffle with two pan masala sellers in Mayur Vihar, East Delhi on the July 29.
Reportedly, the two pan sellers sold marijuana to many people in the locality and a complaint about their misbehavior made to the police earlier also. Allegedly, the police are in connivance with the sellers and are being given a cut from the profit they make. The pan masala sellers even had molested the local women but police did not register the case.
The commission observed that the contents of media reports, if true, raise serious issues of violation of Right to Life and Right to Health in the wake of contraband substances being supplied by the local shops without any preventive and prohibitive action by the police.
"The allegation that the police did not take immediate action in the matter, if true, violates the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India. The District Administration and the police are answerable for the same," said NHRC in its release.