Governor M.C. Bhandare releases a report at the tribunal. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 5: “Was my son’s life worth Rs 10,000?” 60-year-old Rohit Behera asked to jury at a people’s tribunal on torture here.

Behera was just handed over Rs 10,000 by the police to perform the last rites of his 21-year-old son following his death allegedly because of police torture. On the night of June 14 last year, the police barged into Behera’s house searching for his younger brother. All of a sudden, they caught Bhaskar, his son, sleeping inside. Even before he could realise what was going on, Bhaskar was beaten up till he collapsed on the floor, never to wake up.

Relatives and friends of the family gheraoed the police station in protest after which the family was given Rs 10,000. Behera refused to receive the money and ever since he has been moving from pillar to post to get justice. “I do not know if I will ever get justice,” said Behera relating the woes in front of the panel of judges.

This was one of 29 cases to be heard by the panel over the next two days as part of the National Project of Preventing Torture in India implemented by People’s Watch, a national human rights organisation.

Cases related to custodial death, police violence, illegal detention, corporal punishment, police intimidation and acquiescence, police inaction, and custodial rape or harassment would be heard during the two-day hearing. About 643 cases of police torture were identified in Orissa of which only 300 have been reported.

“After the hearing, the NHRC will take note of the cases and intervene on behalf of the victims. About 90 per cent of cases in Orissa are related to police inaction,” said Sunila Singh, national programme officer of NPPTI.