New Delhi: Lambasting Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary and top police officials for gross violation of Human Rights in the state, the Supreme Court on February 10 asked them to respond within 10 days to a high-level committee report stating nine custodial deaths in 2002.

"Do not forget that you all are human beings. Do you realise the consequence of letting loose your forces on human beings like this? Your children and relatives would be dealt in the same manner by the same force," a Bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti and Justice A R Lakshmanan observed.

This tongue-lashing was given to the three officers - the Home Secretary, Inspector General and Additional Director General (Human Rights) - by the Bench after a dismal picture of Human Rights was projected by Amicus Curiae A M Singhvi and Suruchii Agrawal.

The Amicus put before the court a report of the Human Rights Committee headed by Justice A B Srivastava highlighting the custodial torture and reports of police hiding the custodial deaths.

While asking the state government to render all cooperation to the committee without interfering in any manner in its working, the Bench observed that any "hindrance to the working of the committee will be viewed seriously".

PTI