Paradip, April 23: The alleged police excesses and rights violation committed in the proposed Posco steel project areas about a year ago has come under the National Human Rights Commission’s scanner.

Responding to directions issued by the rights panel, the state police administration has instituted a probe into alleged police excesses and violation of human rights at villages coming under the proposed Posco project areas.

Jagatsinghpur superintendent of police Satyabrata Bhoi said: “The commission had sought for an independent inquiry into the allegations that the police had used force upon the people at Gobindpur village on June 28 and 29 last year. A petition by rights activist Radhakant Tripathy had charged that the policemen had brutally attacked the betel vineyard owners during the course of land acquisition for the proposed steel project. The attack, according to the petition, was unprovoked.”

As desired by the commission, Cuttack additional superintendent of police Krushna Prasad Samal conducted the probe. Earlier, Jagatsinghpur district police had inquired into the incident and complied a report. However the commission had called for fresh probe by officials from neighbouring district.

The inquiring official interacted with the local settlers, who had suffered injuries following the use of force by the cops. The matter was also discussed with representatives of various outfits. The inquiring official recorded the people’s statements. Those police officials, who had allegedly committed excesses during the course of land acquisition, were also questioned and the probe team recorded their version related to the incident, said an official.

Tukuni Behera, 60, said: “I am hopeful that the commission would undo the wrong to me. The armed police brutally beat me up. Marks of tortured inflicted upon me are still intact all over my body. I protested against forcible land acquisition. Later, I was beaten black and blue by the policemen.” The inquiring official had also a patient hearing of the people’s grievances as local people, who have lost out their betel vineyards, narrated their tale of plight owing to dismantling of their vineyards.

Nearly 20 betel vineyard owners were injured as the police had resorted to lathicharge to disperse a section of landowners. They had been protesting against the land acquisition. Police version of the incident was that they had performed duty to ensure uninterrupted demolition of the betel vines. Force was used on those, who had tried to stop the exercise, claimed police officials.