NHRC ASKS FOR REPORT FROM THE MADHYA PRADESH CHIEF SECRETARY AND DGP ON THE DEATH OF PROF SABHARWAL IN UJJAIN
New Delhi 6th September 2006
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of media
reports on the death of Prof H.S.Sabharwal in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh and asked the Chief Secretary and DGP of the state to look into the matter and send a report within fifteen days. The move comes after the Commission's attention was drawn to a news report "Students beat professor to death, two other critical" which appeared in the Times of India on 27 August 2006.
The report said that the incident occured at Madhav College, when the elections for college president took a violent turn. When the college administration decided to stop polling without giving reason, the ABVP members showed anger and claimed that they would have won the elections if the polling had not been stopped. Soon a scuffle started between the students of ABVP and NSUI and police resorted to lathi- charge. Later when Prof L.N. Nath and Mr Mittal alongwith Prof H.S. Sabharwal were walking out of the college a group of students beat them up, blackened their faces and accused them of being biased against the ABVP. The report also said Prof Sabharwal, who recently underwent a by-pass surgery ,collapsed and later died in the hospital where he was taken along with his two colleagues. The other two were admitted in a critical condition.
Further, on 2nd September 2006, a report in the Hindustan Times said that four to five policemen were present when the teachers were being attacked and they did nothing to save the teachers.
Meanwhile the son of Prof Sabharwal, Shri Himanshu Sabharwal filed a complaint with NHRC on the incident and alleged that the police was tampering with the evidence and protecting the guilty. He requested for an impartial enquiry into the incident.
The Commission, after going through the contents of the press reports has said, that if they are true they raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the citizens. It has directed that a copy of the same may be sent to Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and DGP , for a report within fifteen days.
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of media
reports on the death of Prof H.S.Sabharwal in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh and asked the Chief Secretary and DGP of the state to look into the matter and send a report within fifteen days. The move comes after the Commission's attention was drawn to a news report "Students beat professor to death, two other critical" which appeared in the Times of India on 27 August 2006.
The report said that the incident occured at Madhav College, when the elections for college president took a violent turn. When the college administration decided to stop polling without giving reason, the ABVP members showed anger and claimed that they would have won the elections if the polling had not been stopped. Soon a scuffle started between the students of ABVP and NSUI and police resorted to lathi- charge. Later when Prof L.N. Nath and Mr Mittal alongwith Prof H.S. Sabharwal were walking out of the college a group of students beat them up, blackened their faces and accused them of being biased against the ABVP. The report also said Prof Sabharwal, who recently underwent a by-pass surgery ,collapsed and later died in the hospital where he was taken along with his two colleagues. The other two were admitted in a critical condition.
Further, on 2nd September 2006, a report in the Hindustan Times said that four to five policemen were present when the teachers were being attacked and they did nothing to save the teachers.
Meanwhile the son of Prof Sabharwal, Shri Himanshu Sabharwal filed a complaint with NHRC on the incident and alleged that the police was tampering with the evidence and protecting the guilty. He requested for an impartial enquiry into the incident.
The Commission, after going through the contents of the press reports has said, that if they are true they raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the citizens. It has directed that a copy of the same may be sent to Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and DGP , for a report within fifteen days.