NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court on March 7 said the Punjab Police thrashing a girl in Tarn Taran on March 4 had “shocked the conscience of the entire nation” and decided to go into the issue by taking suo motu cognizance of media reports. Citing media reports, including by The Tribune, a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and Ranjana Prakash Desai, said the Punjab Government had failed to protect the girl from the “wholly unwarranted action taken by the police.” The incident had raised “important constitutional issues relating to Article 21 of the Constitution (which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty) and dignity of individuals,” the Bench noted. “We, therefore, feel that it is proper for this court to take cognizance of the gross violation of the human rights as well as the constitutional rights of the people,” the SC said.

The Bench asked Attorney General GE Vahanvati to assist the court in the case. Senior advocates Harish Salve and UU Lalit would be amicus curiae in the case to help the SC adjudicate the suo motu case, it said in an order. The Bench also took serious note of another incident in which Bihar police “brutally” beat up contractual teachers demonstrating outside the state assembly at Patna.