Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 2
A complaint has been lodged in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the reported brutal torture, looting, illegal arrest and detention of 14 poor tribal villagers including women of Kamaloor village under Dhantewada tehsil in Dhantewada district of Chhattishgarh by the personnel of Indian Reserve Battalion (Naga Battalion) and local police on September 3, 2005. In the complaint letter dated September 19, 2005 addressed to Justice A S Anand Chairman, NHRC, Santosh Chakma Programmes Director of Asian Indigenous & Tribal Peoples Network sought the urgent intervention of the National Human Rights Commission.
Giving details of the incident, the NHRC was informed on how at 3 pm on September 3, 2005 (Saturday), around more than 60 personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion from Nagaland, accompanied by two policemen from Bansi police station, swooped down on the tribal village of Kamaloor under Dhantewada tehsil in Dhantewada district of Chhattishgarh.
“The security personnel, who were armed with sophisticated weapons conducted house-to-house search in the village, brutally kicked and beaten up with rifle butts whoever came in their way. Even women and aged were not spared. They also allegedly ransacked the houses and stole the valuables including money of the poor tribal villagers during the search operation”, the letter to the NHRC states.
After the search was over, altogether 14 tribal villagers mostly construction labourers including an Anganwadi worker, Sonia Bhaskar, 28 years, daughter of Mara Bhaskar were assembled near the village school. Their hands were tied behind their backs and forced to lie flat on the mud while the Naga Battalion personnel kept on stamping them with their boots, the letter alleged besides pointing out that all of them were severely tortured while being interrogated and at about 10.30 pm, they were taken to the local railway station. They were also beaten while being taken to the railway station, as Sonia Bhaskar who became unconscious due to beatings was not able to walk fast like the males. The Naga Battalion personnel allegedly stopped the goods train and heaped the 14 villagers including Sonia Bhaskar, into the railway bogeys and took them to Bansi police station. The poor tribals were detained at Bansi police station for the night and released the next day at the request of the village Sarpanch (Chief) Jagaram Bhaskar and other villagers.
Some of the other victims included- (1) Bhimsen, 20 years, son of Sannu, (2) Marko, 21 years, son of Sukku, (3) Budhari, 55 years, wife of Sukku, (4) Nandu, 20 years, son of Bima, (5) Maso, 50 years, son of Oonga, (6) Mitthuram, 18 years, son of Lakmu, (7) Itvari, 21 years, son of Vija, (8) Balram, 22 years, son of Sannu, (9) Dhani Ram, 20 years, s/o Mararam, and (10) Bhaso, 50 years. All are tribal villagers of Kamaloor village under Dhantwada Tehsil in Dhantewada district of Chhattishgarh.
Both Bansi police officials and Naga Battalion personnel allegedly warned the detainees not to disclose about the brutal torture the detainees have been perpetrated upon and threatened to kill them if any of them dared to complain against them either to the court or any other forum, the letter went on to allege.
The letter sought the intervention of the NHRC and to issue the necessary directions such as directing the State Government of Chhattishgarh and the Ministry of Home Affairs to order a judicial probe into the September 3, 2005 incident; directing the State Government of Chhattisgarh and the Ministry of Home Affairs to initiate appropriate legal actions against the guilty police personnel and jawans of Naga Battalion and award exemplary punishment for their brutal torture, looting, illegal arrest and detention of the poor and innocent tribal villagers; directing the State Government of Chhattishgarh and the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide an interim compensation of Rs 1,00000 (One lakh) to each of the victims of torture, and restore whatever is looted from their households by the local police and personnel of Naga Battalion.
Justice delayed
Moved by plea of Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network, the National Human Rights Commission issued notice to the DGP Chattisgarh, calling for a report in six weeks in March 2005. Response from concerned authority is awaited, NHRC source said on November 1, 2006.
Informing of this, Subash Mohapatra Director FFDA-India also stated that another tribal leader Kartam Joga was brutally tortured by the state police, and the NHRC asked the DGP Chhattisgarh for an action-taken report in four weeks in May 2005, and till yet there is no response from the DGP.
“In response to our pubic interest litigation, the Chhattisgarh High Court ordered for a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family members of a victim of custodial death and inquiry of the incident by CBI.
The Chhattisgarh DGP is to act yet, although deadline made by court passed away like the victim’s life”, Mohapatra stated in a press note received here.
“The blatant lies made by DGP Chhattisgarh and his department are exposed many times and proved before honorable courts. The people of Chhattisgarh witnessed the re-exhumed dead body of custodial death victim- tribal youth Ram Kumar Dhruv. It is not new to Chhattisgarh people to hear fairy stories-as they have a DGP who loves people’s crying”.
In response to another petition filed by Forum for Fact-finding Documentation and Advocacy on killing of innocent tribals, including two tribal infants the National Human Rights Commission issued notice to the DGP Chhattisgarh for a report within four weeks in July 2006, and he is to reply yet, it was informed.
