SHILLONG, July 11: The Meghalaya People’s Human Rights Council (MPHRC) has condemned the alleged custodial torture of 19-year-old Getwin Jyrwa by police personnel at Sohra Police Station, after he was arrested on July 1 on charges of public obscenity and assault.
Appreciating the disciplinary action initiated by East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, who suspended five police personnel, including one Sub-Inspector and four Unarmed Branch constables from Sohra Police Station, MPHRC said, “It is convinced that the police officials had perpetrated serious custodial violence, brutal or savage in nature on Getwin Jyrwa.”
“This was a case of a gross violation of human rights of citizen resulting from barbaric acts of torture and the police personnel responsible for perpetrating various acts of torture should be without delay be punished accordingly,” said MPHRC Chairman Dino DG Dympep.
“If there is any act committed by the official of the government in violation of the Human Rights then the Government is either directly or vicariously liable for the act committed by its agents on citizens and the principle of sovereign immunity cannot override the basic human rights assured to every citizen,” the MPHRC added.
Citing the Global Torture Index Report 2025, recently released at the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the MPHRC noted that India has been placed in the high-risk category in the analysis of police torture cases across the country.
“The Government will have to bear in mind that it is the citizens who are entitled for human rights and not the accused personnel who fail to act as responsible public servant. A prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the ongoing pattern of police torture at Sohra Police Station must ensure a clear impartiality,” the MPHRC said.