NHRC notice to the Government of Rajasthan over reported police brutality, illegal arrest and false implication of several Dalits in Rajasthan post protest against the Apex Court order on SC/ST Act (18.05.2018)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 18th May, 2018
The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that several social activists and Dalit leaders have raised their concern over police brutality and the way several people belonging to the Dalit communities were falsely implicated in criminal cases and are languishing in jails without bail in Rajasthan even after six weeks when a Bandh was called on the 2nd April, 2018 in protest against the Supreme Court order regarding SC/ST (PoA) Act. The news report has mentioned several incidents of abuse of power by the police in which, even the women and children were not spared.



The Commission has observed that the allegations of illegal arrest, physical torture and implication of people in false criminal cases, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the victims and is a matter of concern. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan calling for a report in the matter within six weeks with a further direction upon the Director General of Police, Rajasthan to submit action taken report about the alleged police brutality.



According to the media report carried today on the 18th May, 2018, a CRPF jawan, posted in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, who had come to attend his sick mother on leave, was allegedly dragged out of his house by the police on the 2nd April, 2018. He was severely beaten up and was not even allowed to put on his slippers. He was implicated in a false case and languishing in jail for almost a month now. His plea for grant of bail has been rejected by the court.



Reportedly, on the same day, the police broke open the door of the house of a government school teacher; barged inside and bet him while taking to the police station and from there to jail. As per the news report, hundreds of other Dalits are also languishing in jails and what they have got is another date on every hearing before the court.



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