NHRC notices to the West Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner over allegations of assault by police on women protesters (03.9.2015)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 3rd September, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of West Bengal and Commissioner of Police, Kolkata calling for a report in a complaint that women protesters were subjected to physical assault in Kolkata on the 27th August, 2015. They were allegedly subjected to lathi charge, brick batting, tear gas and water cannons by male police personnel and claimed that no women police force was present which is against the violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court of India. Some of the women protesters were severely injured and one of them is in ICU.

Giving two weeks to the concerned authorities to respond, the Commission has observed that the contents of the complaint, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the women protesters. Further, if the women protesters were attacked by the police force while protesting peacefully, it amounts to violation of their Fundamental Right to assemble peaceably and without arms as guaranteed under Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India.

According to a complaint, received in the Commission on the 2nd September, 2015, women had assembled to demand food security, protection against agrarian distress and to protest against complete breakdown of law and order in the State in a declared programme convened by Kisan Sabha and supported by 17 left organisations of the West Bengal. They were supposed to march towards Nabanno, the administrative headquarters of West Bengal Government. As the march progressed, the women protesters were assaulted.

The complainants, Jagmati Sangwan (General Secretary, AIDWA), Annie Raja (General Secretary, NFIW) and Sehba Farooqui (Secretary, Delhi JMS) have requested for an inquiry why male police force attacked and physically assaulted the women protesters and action against those who were responsible for the reprehensible incident. They also requested for medical assistance to those who are in hospital with injuries.

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