POLICE in India have been accused of detaining, beating and even killing street children by Human Rights Watch Asia.
In its latest report, "Police abuse and killings of street children in India", the New York based human rights group claimed that 15 children had died in police custody between 1990 and 1994.
"The report is an accurate indictment of what happens to street children in India," said Mr Ravi Nair, executive director of the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre in New Delhi.
He said the problem of policemen terrorising children was acute in many small towns, especially in the southern states of Tam il Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The human rights activist said that while there was some awareness in official circles about the extent of violence against street children, it was yet to be translated into legislation for its redress.
Officials in New Delhi, however, said no case of child beating by police had been reported for years. "But if it ever came to our notice, the crime would not go unpunished and action would be taken," said Mr Ravi Pawar, spokesman for Delhi police.
India has the world's largest population of street children with at least 18 million living and working off streets across the country.
Of 100 children interviewed in India by Asia Watch for their report, 60 complained of police abuse in the form of detention beatings, extortion or verbal abuse. All, however, admitted they were terrified of the police.
The report stated that while street children were sometimes involved in petty theft, drug trafficking, prostitution and criminal activities, the police normally assumed they were either directly involved or at least knew the culprit. It added that the prospect of being sent to a remand home, confined to a police lock up or sent to jail scared children, often forcing their families to pay the police heavy bribes.
The report also said Indian law contributed to the problem. Under the Indian Penal Code drafted by colonial rulers in the late 19th century, children over 12 are considered adults. The resultant legal ambiguities regarding their prosecution led at times to seven year olds being tried and sentenced like grown ups. There are no provisions prohibiting the detention of juveniles.
