Full report (pdf) - People's Union for Civil Liberties

Following the raid the Probationary Dy. S. P.stated that some of the accused revealed thatthey worked at Suraksha and so theProbationary Dy. S. P. immediately went tothe Suraksha office where without a searchwarrant he conducted a search of thepremises. Finding nothing after a cursoryexamination of the records of Suraksha,which included confidential information ofsexworkers including their area of residence,area of operation, health status, he left thepremises.The version of the arrested women.We briefly reproduce the statements by thearrested women on the events of the 2ndJune, 2007.Chikkathayamma (Drop-In-Centre (DIC)Supervisor at Suraksha): I have been incharge of condom distribution and HIVtraining for 3 years at Suraksha. I am 40 yearsold. I contested the village panchayatelections and won as an independent, andwas working as a gram panchayat member. Ihave lost the elections for village panchayatpresident once earlier. I would have beenelected president this time.Radhika and I were close friends. I went toher house to collect money for an officialfunction of Suraksha. Radhika’s neighbourshaven’t complained about us before; it musthave been others in the town. During theraid, 2 men and 4 women were arrested, andproduced before the magistrate at 11 p.m.During the raid, we women were shouted atby the police but they beat up the men. Wewere in judicial custody for 7 days. We weretreated well in Central Jail. We haven’t donesexwork in the house. Everyone knew aboutmy work for Suraksha and praised me.The newspapers have reported that we werefound naked with men in the bedrooms. Thisis simply not true. All this publicity willdestroy me, what’s the use of living afterthis? I wanted to commit suicide, but when Ifound that Suraksha had staged a dharna forus, I decided not to. I was shattered andgrief-stricken in jail. I want to fight for justicesince I haven’t done anything wrong.Chandrakala: I am 26 yrs old, and am aresident of Channapatna. Chandrammabrought me to Suraksha to seek somemedical help. On that day, we reachedRadhika’s house in the afternoon and werechatting for about 10 minutes before thepolice raid at 2.45 p.m. There was Preethi,(Radhika’s daughter), 2 small children,Chandramma and Chikthayamma and hersister. Two men came and stood outside thehouse discussing some financial matter. Soonafter they left, the police descended on usfrom all sides. They pounced on one of themen who had come in a car and was talkingto Chandramma, and beat him up badly. Thepolice took us to the police station; theydidn’t produce any warrant. They draggedthe women out of the house. There were 2women inspectors and a number ofpolicemen.In Channapatna, from the moment westepped down from the jeep, they startedshooting pictures. People were also let in,they all took pictures of us. We were seatedon the bench, and the TV camera man tookpictures.I don’t know if my aunt with whom I’mstaying will let me back into her home, nowthat I’ve been subjected to public exposure.She might, though, for the sake of my 2children. I’d like to take up work atSuraksha. I will seek Suraksha’s help andface the world.Shanthamma ( Community Mobilizer atSuraksha): I’m 31 years old, a resident ofChannapatna and I live with my mother. Myhusband was a policeman who wasdischarged after 8 years of service due to hisalcoholism. I have left him, and I have 4children, 2 girls 19 and 17, one of whom ismarried, and a 14 year old son. The secondgirl works in a garment factory. At Suraksha,I provide information about HIV tosexworkers, and I bring poor people to theclinic for treatment. On that day I came to theoffice at 10.30 and left for the field to make5