Complaints before the Commission frightened as a result of the beating, he ran away from the police station and fell into a deep dry well, as a consequence of which he sustained injuries which proved fatal. The Inquest Magistrate held certain police officials, including the SHO, responsible for the incident, and ordered the registration of a case for investigation by the CID. The Commission agreed with the report of the Inquest Magistrate and awarded a further compensation of Rs. 50,000/- to the dependents of the deceased, in addiuon to the Rs. 50,000/- already sanctioned by the Rajasthan State Government to his legal representatives. The Commission has received a compliance report from the State Government on the payment of compensation of Rs. 50,000/-. Ftuit vendor beaten to death by the police for not paying 'hafta': Delhi (Case No. 951/96-97/NHRC) The Commission initiated proceedings in this case on the basis of a report received from the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Shahadra, Delhi, indicating that the death of one Matloob Hussain had occurred on 13 July 1996, following a severe beating inflicted on him by two policemen of the Geeta Colony police station, Delhi, on 11 July 1996. The Commission subsequently received petitions fix)m certain NGOs, namely the People's Union for Democratic Rights and the People's Union for Civil Liberties; and also from Shri Syed Shahabuddin, former Member of Parliament, who raised the general issue of the violadon of the human rights of petty vendors in Delhi and elsewhere in the coimtry. They felt that the Commission should protect this group fium the atrocities committed against them by the police and other authorities, including the demands made on vendors Xo pay hajia. In response to the Commission's notice, the Sub-divisional Magistrate of Shahdara gave a detailed account of the events that had occurred. The report received fix»m the police, however, gave a somewhat different version. From-the-reports, however, the Commission inferred that a Head Constable and a Constable had subjected the deceased to physical violence, and the beating was so severe that it ultimately proved fatal. The Commission observed that the higher authorities had done well in taking acdon against the delinquent police officials by putting them imder suspension and prosecuting them after due investigation, though regrettably, this was done only after the death of Shri Hussain. The Commission was, however, pained to observe the lack of sensitivity of the concerned Stadon House Officer (SHO), who had neither taken adequate or immediate acdon for the medical treatment of Shri Hussain nor for the registration of a case against the^errant poEce officials, even though he was aware of the incident. The Commission thus assumed that the atrocities committed were with the knowledge of, or in connivance with, the SHO. The Commission, therefore, recommended that disciplinary acdon be initiated against him for the various acts of commission and omission of which he has been found guilty by the Magisterial enquiry and by the Commission. The 93