MARGAO
Even as the Margao police stands exposed for not bringing the entire police station premise under the Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) surveillance cameras, the men-in-uniform seemed to have no answer whether the District Level Oversight Committees have been put in place for the South Goa district to oversee the upkeep of the CCTVs at the police stations in the district.
For, the Supreme Court had mulled constitution of the District Level Oversight Committee comprising of the District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and a Municipality Mayor, in all districts of the country to interact with the Station House Officers (SHOs) for the upkeep of CCTVs and review the footage for any human right violation.
This brings to the moot question whether the District Level Oversight Committee has visited the Margao police station and inquired with the police station in-charge the violation of human rights of the Navelim lad Edwin Coelho, whose eardrum was ruptured after being assaulted by suspended Police Sub-Inspector, Stanley Gomes.
In the instant case, the visit of the District Level Oversight Committee comprising of the District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and local Municipal Mayor was urgently required not only to ascertain the violation of human rights by the men-in-uniform of the Navelim youth, but to also find out whether the room, where Edwin was allegedly slapped by the erring PSI is covered under the Supreme Court-directed CCTV scheme.
This question assumes all the more significance given that police officers in the know have informed that the room where the victim was assaulted by the suspended PSI is not covered under the CCTV surveillance cameras.
Police officers at the South Goa district headquarters have no idea whether such an oversight committee as mandated by the Supreme Court is in place or not. “We will check the records whether the District Level Oversight Committee has been constituted or not. If not, we will bring the matter to the notice of the police higher-ups,” remarked a police officer.
The officer added: “We have no clue who has to set up the District Level Oversight Committee and whether it has been notified till date. We will check with the police headquarters on the Supreme Court directions in respect of the installation of CCTV surveillance cameras at the police stations.”
Meanwhile, a senior police officer said the Margao police would move the police headquarters to get the room, where the victim was assaulted by the PSI, under CCTV coverage. Though the men-in-uniform were quick to point out that the room has not been covered under CCTV surveillance cameras since it was earlier used as a store room, The Goan understands that the Margao police has been making use of the room for the purpose of interrogations of persons detained by the police in crimes.
