Medical reports from a local health centre note that the boy had lost vision in one eye. He has now been referred to a hospital in Meerut for surgery
NEW DELHI — A 13-year-old Muslim boy in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has lost vision in his left eye allegedly after being beaten by police while in custody. The incident last week has sparked outrage, with the boy’s family filing complaints with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), and district authorities.
According to the boy’s father, the family owns a chicken shop that had been closed for close to two weeks because of the Hindu festivities of Navratri. The shop reopened on September 27, and the boy announced the reopening and prices at the nearby mosque. The boy informed the public that chicken was available at ₹140 per kg due to low demand because of the Navratri festivities. However, someone complained about the announcement, and the police arrived, taking the boy into custody, media reports reaching here said on Monday.
The boy’s family alleges that the police assaulted and intimidated him while in custody, resulting in serious injuries that led to the loss of vision in one eye. The family claims that CCTV footage shows the boy being taken away by the police. The family has sought action against the police personnel involved.
The father said that when he reached the police outpost, his son was behind bars with both feet tied. “Police told us it was a small issue and asked us to return after noon. When I returned, they said I had been fined under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). My son had bruises all over his body and said he could no longer see properly,” the father was quoted as saying.
He also claimed that the police accused him of possessing a country-made pistol after finding a photo of one on his son’s phone. “It was just a picture saved from the Internet. My son later said police beat and videographed him until he admitted the weapon belonged to me,” the father said.
Medical reports from a local health centre noted that the boy had lost vision in one eye due to “trauma caused an hour ago.” He has now been referred to a hospital in Meerut for surgery.
In his written complaint, the father alleged: “My son was abducted, beaten severely at the Biralsi police outpost, and now has a serious eye injury. The inspector is threatening to jail me if I pursue the case.”
Responding to queries from media personnel, Muzaffarnagar Superintendent of Police Sanjai Kumar acknowledged that the matter has been reported to them. “Our initial inquiry suggests that the boy had a pre-existing eye condition and was receiving treatment for the past four years. The matter is being investigated,” he said.
There have been previous incidents of alleged police misconduct in Muzaffarnagar. For instance, a controversy arose when the police asked food sellers on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and employees, sparking accusations of discrimination against Muslims. The police clarified that the move was aimed at avoiding confusion among Kanwariyas and maintaining law and order.
