Family and Social Groups Demand Impartial Probe into Police Custodial Misconduct
Key Points:
- Alpana Mahli was called to Kapali OP for questioning in a missing girl case
- Family appeals to SP and district administration for intervention and justice
- No official police statement has been issued so far on the allegations
SERAIKELA – A tribal woman from Kandarbera Rehabilitation Colony was allegedly assaulted and mistreated inside the Kapali outpost during police questioning, triggering demands for an impartial inquiry from local residents and several social organisations in Seraikela Kharsawan.
Alpana Mahli, a resident of Kandarbera Rehabilitation Colony in the district, had been called to Kapali OP in connection with a missing girl case. According to her family’s account, she was subjected to rude behaviour and physical assault during the course of interrogation. She sustained injuries as a result.
Her family members subsequently approached the Senior Superintendent of Police and the district administration. They have appealed for immediate intervention and sought justice in the matter. Multiple social organisations have echoed the demand. They have called for a high-level investigation into the incident.
However, the police administration had not issued any official statement on the allegations as of the time of reporting. Moreover, the claims could not be independently verified. The full picture, a knowledgeable source said, would become clear only after the inquiry was completed and the administration had responded formally.
Meanwhile, a mood of anger and discussion has persisted in the area following the incident. The Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, provides legal protection to tribal individuals against custodial abuse and harassment by public servants. Cases of alleged police misconduct in Jharkhand have previously drawn strong responses from civil society groups. Besides, the Seraikela Kharsawan district, which was carved out of West Singhbhum in 2001, has a large Scheduled Tribe population, with tribals accounting for more than 35 percent of its residents as per Census 2011.
The victim’s family maintained that the allegations were serious and warranted a credible response from the authorities. In addition, they said the matter should not be allowed to go uninvestigated. The alleged incident has reinforced concerns about the treatment of vulnerable individuals during police proceedings in the region.
On the other hand, the absence of any official police response has left the outcome of the case uncertain. The matter is expected to come to a clearer resolution only after the district administration acts on the family’s petition.
