Human Rights activists based in Nepalgunj have expressed serious concern over the torture of boys by police on theft charge. Issuing a press statement on July 23, they slammed police for torturing Sunil Thapa, 14, and Sunil BK, 14, of Titihiriya9 on charge of stealing mobile phones.

The statement criticizes the police which has the prime responsibility of protecting rights of citizens and enforcing law for inflicting severe torture on innocent boys and shaving their heads. It adds that the police act of collecting fine from the parents of the boys on the basis of the statement taken by inflicting torture was the ultimate example of irresponsibility.

Citing that various international covenants and national laws had prohibited torture, the rights activists said that the torture of boys had made mockery of state governed by law and that it was a serious crime.

Bhola Mahat of INSEC Nepalgunj, Prakash Upadhyaya of HimRights, Basant Gautam of Advocacy Forum were among the rights activists calling for actions against those involved in the incident.

According to the victims, they were tortured to admit the theft charge after a local Govind Buda Chhetri filed a case against the duo at the police post Raniyapur on July 10 on charge of stealing mobile phone.

The victims said that police beat them with bamboo sticks in custody, made them walk on their elbow and shaved their head. They added that they admitted the charge to avoid further torture. Their parents were made to pay a fine of Rs 3000 each later.

It was revealed that the boys were innocent following the arrest of Hikmat Karki who was involved in the theft.

Among those involved in the torture, ASI Tilak Sah has been called at the district police office while police constables Nandalal BK and Bhupendra Chand are still deployed in the police post.

Police Inspector Dakshya Basnet of the area police office Dhanauli said that search for the culprits was underway and that he had received information about the incident late.