The National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday directed the Assam government to pay Rs 25,000 to a 13-year-old boy who was assaulted inside a police station in Morigaon district for allegedly stealing biscuits on March 9, reported PTI.

In a letter to Assam Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, National Human Rights Commission Deputy Registrar Indrajeet Kumar demanded that the accused police officer should be prosecuted.

The police official, Assistant Sub-inspector Upen Bordoloi, was suspended on March 22 after a video of him beating the boy with sticks was shared widely on social media. A case was registered against him under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Morigaon Superintendent of Police Aparna N said that the child was trying to take a packet of biscuits from a vehicle that was seized for carrying illegal liquor bottles, reported ANI.

“The vehicle was seized and was parked inside the premises of the police station,” said Aparna N. “The child in conflict with the law was trying to take the case property [the seized vehicle and the contents inside] and the staff of the police station caught the child and he was beaten up by the police officer.”

The National Human Rights Commission had said that the assault of a minor by a police officer highlighted the sorry state of affairs, reported PTI. It had issued a show cause notice to the chief secretary and demanded compensation.

After no reply was given to the notice, the human rights body directed the chief secretary to compensate the boy within four weeks and proof by October 22.