Two years ago, a fruit vendor at Geeta Colony in East Delhi was beaten to death because he refused to pay hafta to the police. Now, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered Delhi Government to pay his next of kin a compensation of Rs.2.5 lakhs.

It has also asked the government to constitute a high-power committee to look into the hafta menace in the Capital and asked it to submit a compliance report to the NHRC by August 1 ...

The fruit vendor, Matloob Hussain, is survived by six children and his widow ... Several NGOs took up the case. The NHRC received petitions from the People's Union for Democratic 'Rights and People's Union for Civil Liberties. The NGOs asked the commission to take measures to ensure that vendors were protected'in the Capital.

NHRC has mentioned in its report the names of police officers who reportedly delayed Hussain's medical examination after he had been beaten up ... NHRC officers have directed the Delhi Government to ensure a prompt trial of the errant officials ... (Source: The Indian Express, 9 July, 1999)