POLICE/CUSTODIAL DEATH - 2004.pdf - Indian Social Institute

POLICE/CUSTODIAL DEATH - 2004Compiled ByK. Samu,Human Rights Documentation,Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi9 th JanCops found guilty in 91 custodial death (1)NEW DELHI. JANUARY 8: A CITY court today convicted three policemen and another for beatinga shop assistant to death in 1991. Rajender Singh Dahiya, SI Sher Singh, Constable Anil Kumar,who were posted at Lahori Gate Police Station, and shopkeeper Manoharlal Narang werefound for Jagannath's death. Dahiya, who is with Delhi Investigative Unit, was the SHO then. OnMay 1,1991, police ' took Jagannath from his shop and beat him very badly. He die on May 101991 at St Stephen's Hospital. Jagannath, who worked at a perfumes shop at Tilak Bazaar, waspicked up by the policemen, who accused him of using the shop for illegal activities.Jagannath's father told court that the policemen had asked for a Rs 5,000-bribe and beat him upmercilessly. Narang, Jagannath's competitor, also beat him. (Indian Express 9.1.04)12 th Jan.Amend Army Act to boost staff morale (1)New Delhi: Not many years ago, the Supreme Court had cautioned the defence ministry, againstthe "arbitrary" use of certain provisions of the Army Act which it said were an anathema to anydemocratic system. It had called for amendment in the Act so that personnel serving the countryshould not have the feeling that they were not entitled to the fundamental constitutional guaranteessuch as the right to life. There has been steep rise in the number of defence personnelmoving the civil courts for justice. In the last three years, they have filed as many as 6,394petitions for redressal of grievances. Air Vice Marshal T S Chhatwal got relief from the Delhi HighCourt which found that his annual confidential report was "fudged" to bring his grades down.Junior Commissioned Officers and their subordinates have also been knocking on the court'sdoors for justice. In many cases they have been medically downgraded as a "punishment"purportedly with a view to ease them out of the service. Recently, the Delhi high court orderedreinstatement of a jawan who had been sacked over six years ago. Another personnel who wasincapacitated due to alleged negligence in the treatment of his leg has also sought the court's indulgencefor justice. (Times of India 12.1.04)14 th JamCourt orders arrest of released prisoners (1)PATNA, JAN. 13. The Patna High Court today ordered the arrest of 102 prisoners who werereleased from different jails before completion of their sentence term. Hearing a public interestlitigation, a division bench of Justice Nagendra Rai and Justice R S Garg directed Bihar DirectorGeneral of Police (DGP) that all such prisoners, who were released before the completion of theirsentence term, should be arrested within four weeks. The court also directed the State InspectorGeneral of Prisons (IGP) to file a report within a week giving details about such officers duringwhose officiating period these prisoners were released. The petition was filed against the releaseof 37 convicted prisoners from Bhagalpur jail during 1994-95. In its earlier hearing, the court haddirected the IGP to apprise it on the number of prisoners who were released from jail beforecompletion of their jail term. (Hindu 14.1.04)24 TH Jan.History repeats for killers in khaki (1)New Delhi, Jan. 23. — Indeed a bizarre coincidences it is. The son of Lacho Devi — the 50-yearolddisabled, homeless woman who died on 19 January allegedly after being beaten up by apoliceman, was also reportedly a victim of the long arm of law. More than a year ago, LachoDevi's teenaged son died under mysterious circumstances. The keepers of the law reportedly

allegedly 'misused' their powers while evicting the pavement dwellers near the Hanuman Mandiron the night of 26 October 2002. The police commissioner, Mr RS Gupta, was on patrol to takestock of the law and order situation on the Capital's roads that night. According to police records,Lacho Devi's son, Heera, was found with serious injuries on the night of 26 October 2002.The incident took place near Hanuman Mandir where the disabled Lacho Devi was begging foralms with her son. Recalling the incident, a friend of Heera said: "Many policemen came to thetemple and asked us all to vacate the place as the police commissioner was expected to passby." The policemen started beating up Heera when he said he would take some time to push hismother's wheelchair, the friend said. After the alleged beating, Heera became unconscious. Hismother cried for help but nobody came forward. The police admitted Heera to RML Hospital onlyafter two days, on 28 October. Heera succumbed to his injuries on 29 October. (Statesman24.1.04)Foreign prisoners find Indian food hard to stomach (1)New Delhi: IT IS not the punishment meted out to them that bothers the 350-odd foreign prisonersin Asia's largest prison, rather, it is the food which is served to them in jail which they finddifficult to stomach. This is because their food habits and tastes are very different from the Indianfood served in Tihar Central Jail. The jail authorities have this to say. "It is not possible to fulfil thedesire of every prisoner. In prison we serve dal, roti and rice to all the prisoners. Initially, thesemeals do not go down well with the foreign prisoners, but gradually they get habituated to Indianfoods as well," said Sunil Gupta, Tihar Jail Law officer. "However, during festivals, people fromtheir embassies come to meet them and bring delicacies for them. Otherwise, the foreignprisoners are treated at par with other prisoners. We do not differentiate," added the officer.(Pioneer 2.2.04)FIR registered against Army (1)SRINAGAR, FEB. 8. Thousands of people today took to the streets in Bandipore town in northKashmir, protesting against the killing of five civilians who had been used as "human shield" bythe Army in an operation to flush out militants in Argam forests. The protesters also attacked apolice station and set a police vehicle on fire. A case has been registered and an inquiry orderedinto the incident. Reports said that soldiers from JAK Rifles had taken seven civilians from thelocality to the nearby woods where the Army had killed eight militants in an encounter onThursday. Three soldiers were also killed in the fighting. The locals found bodies of five of thecivilians — Mohammad Yaqoob, Mohammad Aslam, Farooq Ahmed, Sakhi Mohammad andGhulam Jeelani — this morning. They were told that the militants killed these civilians while theArmy was conducting a mopping up operation. The protesters, however, refused to accept this.Around 10,000 people reached Bandipore town, shouting slogans against the Army, blaming it forthe "cold blooded murder" of the innocent civilians. They went in a procession to the police stationand indulged in violence. (The Hindu 9.1.04)Mumbai police turns hero into victim (1)Mumbai, Feb. 9: It was an award that proved costly for 31-year-old Vinay Mahtre who witnessedan extortion and stubbing incident on a cable operator. He chased and caught the driver of therickshaw in which the perpetrators fled at Kanjur Marg. Mr Mahtre was felicitated by the cops butlittle did he know he was running into trouble. Mr Mahtre lives by renting out his Tata Sumo utilityvehicle. He began to play a key role in nabbing criminals and selling up traps for the police whoused his vehicle liberally. But when be asked for rent, things changed.Two constables Parab and Gaurav and police inspector (crime) Ekbote all from Kanjur MargPolice station called him to the Gavdevi temple near Nahur Cabin in Bhandup East andinterrogated him about an extortion case involving a girl from his area. "I was taken aback whenthey asked me whether I had shot blue films of a girl and then extorted Rs 80,000 from her. Mydenial only led to merciless beating. But luckily at that time I got a call on my fcell from mymother and I told her that I was being interrogated at the temple. Thereafter It was a nightmarefor Mr Mahtre. He went on his own to the police station with his parents to know the reason forthis harassment but was taken into custody. (Asian Age 10.2.04)

Police lockups under strict watch (1)New Delhi, Feb. 16: Every lockup and police station in the capital is going to have CCTV system.The move is aimed at making the Delhi Police functioning more transparent in the light ofallegations of human right violations. But the system comes with a catch. Though four set ofcameras are going to be installed in all police stations, there is no provision of recording the tapewhich is detrimental in cases of custodial deaths and other human rights violations that can takeplace within the police station. As of now, a high powered technical committee, under thesupervision of additional CP crime branch, is monitoring the 45 odd police stations where thesystem has been put in place slowly. "In West District all the 13 police stations have it. In NewDelhi district four police stations have it," a senior police official said. Curiously, the Delhi Policehas been able to get clinching evidence through the CCTV recording at a Five Star hotel, whenthe son of the Senegalese ambassador had a scuffle with his Indian driver, who later died. Seniorofficials informed that the 'recording' facility was kept out of the picture as it is a very costlyenterprise. "The recording system keeps frame-by-frame account of 72 hours. Then it has to beerased. The systemcosts close to Rs 2 lakh and the Delhi Police cannot afford that much for eachand every police station," a senior police official informed. (Asian Age 17.2.04)Man allegedly beaten by cops (1)NEW DELHI, FEB. 16. A businessman was allegedly beaten by some policemen after he refusedto part with money demanded by a constable near Hotel Taj Palace here in the early hours ofMonday. According to the complainant, it all happened around 2 a.m. when Nand GopalAggarwal, a resident of Shastri Nagar, was on his way home from Dhaula Kuan. He was passingby Hotel Taj Palace when he found the road blocked due to an accident. Mr. Aggarwal sloweddown and waited for the road to be cleared. Shortly afterwards a police constable knocked at hiscar's window. "I rolled down the window-glass, upon which the constable asked me to show thevehicle's documents. I promptly did. Finding all the papers in order, he demanded Rs. 200 for'chai-pani," he alleged. Mr. Aggarwal claimed that he tried to convince the constable that he wasa good citizen and produced an identity card showing him as a member of one All-India CrimePrevention Society (Delhi State). The constable then allegedly said the identity card could beforged and again demanded money. Mr. Aggarwal refused to give the money, following which theconstable asked him to come out of the vehicle. "The constable forcibly took out Rs. 1,200 frommy purse. He then contacted someone on a wireless set. Meanwhile, on getting a chance I informedmy relatives. After a while, one Mr. Kaushik reached there in a Gypsy and started abusingme straightway. He along with some other policemen, who had gathered there by then, beganbeating and kicking me," said Mr. Aggarwal. (The Hindu 17.2.04)Custody death draws Srinagar out on streets (1)SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 17: A RULING Peoples' Democratic Party (PDF) leader and twomembers of a family were among four persons killed in militancy-related violence in J-K wheresecurity forces smashed six militant hideouts, including one set up by Pak-backed Lashker-e-Toiba since last evening, an official said here today. Furious over the death of one Abdul RashidBhat, protestors today blocked the national highway at Narbal on the outskirts of the city. Bhatwas allegedly picked up by a joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG) and some Ddiwanislast night and later killed in custody. A police official denied Bhat was picked up by cops, blaminghis death on personal enmity. Bhat's brother-in-law Mo-hammad Yusuf Sheikh was allegedlykilled by SOG and Army in a fake encounter last June in Ganderbal, a charge that's denied by theArmy. Family sources allege the security forcesare harassing them because a member of the Sheikh family is reportedly a top Hizbul Mujahideencommander. "They tell us our brother is back from across the LoC and is active in theregion. We lost one brother because of that and today, our brother-in-law has been killed by theSOG," alleged a family member. Later, senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was taken intocustody while on his way to sympathise with the family. (Indian Express 18.2.04)3 rd MarchVictim of police ire awaits justice (1)

New Delhi, March 2: The splattered blood on the lone TV set in S.M A/.im's house has dried ashas the profuse blood on his while shirt and his daughter's scarf. The police constable from NewFriend's Colony police station, who allegedly hammered Mr Azim's head with his stick, has alsorendered the victim's 85-year-old mother immobile after she was pushed in the forcible entry tothe victim's two-roomed house on Saturday. Till Tuesday evening, despite victim's picas, an FIRwas not registered by the local police station. The police had come looking for Mr Azim's 18-yearold-son,Saud. at his T-84 A Joga Bai, Jainia Nagar residence on a routine enquiry in the wake ofthe elections date being declared. Saud had been identified as troublemaker in the last Assemblyelections, said sources, which, however, his family members deny. (Asian Age 3.3.04)10 th MarchCourt notice to Centre, States on life convicts’ plight (1)NEW DELHI, MARCH 9. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre, all the States andUnion Territories on a writ petition seeking the release of all life convicts who had completed 14years in jails across the country. A Bench, comprising Justice S.N. Variava and Justice H.K.Sema, issued notice today on a petition, filed by the Apex Advocates Association highlighting theplight of the convicts. It was contended on behalf of the petitioner that although there had beenalot of changes around the world in criminal jurisprudence and reformative theories, the position oflife convicts in our country remained the same. The petitioner submitted that on account of theliberal interpretation of the right to life and liberty in Article 21 of the Constitution, the life convictshad a right to be released after 14 years in jail in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling in1981. The petitioner said that according to a communication received from the Fatehgarh centralprison in Uttar Pradesh, there were 36 life convicts who had served 14 years. Similarly, therewere 29 life convicts in the prison at Behrampur in West Bengal and two in the Aizwal centralprison in Mizoram who had already undergone 14 years incarceration. (The Hindu 10.3.04)11 th MarchUK exonerates racist cops exposed by BBC (1)London: EIGHT POLICE trainees who allegedly made racist comments in a televisiondocumentary in October 2003- will not face charges but two others could still be prosecuted.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) found insufficient evidence to bring cases against the fiverecruits from Greater Manchester Police, two from the Cheshire force and one from North Wales.But the Greater Manchester force is continuing to investigate the actions of two would-be officersand a further file will be submitted for consideration by CPS lawyers. An inquiry was launched intorecordings made by an undercover reporter, Mark Daly, during seven months at the BrucheTraining School in Warrington, Cheshire. The BBC documentary, The Secret Policeman, causeduproar when it was broadcast in October. Scenes included Rob Pulling, who served in Rhyl, northWales, wearing a home made Ku Klux Klan hood and saying he would like to "bury" an Asianunder a train. Nine of the recruits involved have since resigned. A CPS spokesman said thatbecause some of the recordings were not made in a public place, it precluded certain offencesunder the Public Order Act. "The CPS has not yet taken a decision on two tapes that appear tocontain admissions of assault," he said. Ray Powell, president of the National Black PolioAssociation, said he was "very disappointed" that many of the officers would not face prosecution.(Pioneer 11.3.04)17 th MarchCourt acquits two policemen of rape (1)New Delhi, March 16- A sessions court has acquitted two sub inspectors with the Delhi Policeaccused of raping a Nepali woman while she was in police custody. The court in its judgment, onthe alleged incident of custodial rape has also absolved the man in whose house, the victim fromNepal worked as a maid. Additional Sessions Judge H.P. Sharma absolved two Delhi policepersonnel Sub-inspector Jaipal Singh and another R.S. Sharma of charges of rape. The duo atthe time of the alleged offence in 1995 were posted at the Tilak Marg police station. (Asian Age17.3.04)21 st March

Prisoners too have rights, reminds HC (1)New Delhi , BLATANT HUMAN Rights abuses of undertrials has pricked judicial conscience. Somuch so that recently, the Delhi High Court took sUo motu action on the plight of womenundertrials and bailed out 13 of them in two days. In a petition before the Division Bench ofChief Justice B C Patel and Justice B D Ahmed, specific reference was made on the way peoplemisunderstand 'liberty' of undertrials languishing behind bars for no fault. What initiated thecourt was US citizen Pragnesh Desai’s case who has not been extradited to America. He hasaccused of fraudulently obtaining his finance Leona Swiderski’s money and property worth overUS $30 million. The New Jersey District Court had issued a warrant against him on May 5, 2003.Given the pendency of his extradition, the court criticised the Centre on creating impediments inDesai's extradition. C.J. Patel said The magistrate has completed the enquiry and the delay givesus an impression that you (Centre) are assisting him. No step is being taken even as thepetitioner is languishing in jail (Pioneer 21.3.04)24 th MarchBoy who played cop before Charles beaten up by police (1)New Delhi, March 23: Two Delhi police constables beat up an 18-year-old boy on Friday in theSunlight Colony area of Srinivaspuri. Rajan Sharma was picked up from a park, where he wasplaying with his friends, and taken to the Sunlight Colony police post. All along the road to thepolice station, the constables slapped and punched Rajan on the face and kicked him on theback. Two hours later when injured Rajan called up his friends from Jamghaat, a street childrentheatre group, the police realised its mistake and offered Rs 50 to Rajan to keep shut. BeforeFriday, March 19, anyone meeting 18-year-old Rajan was told by his friends how the talentedactor won many a heart with his sensitive portrayal of a police constable, who makes life difficultfor the children on the streets in Patripe Bachpan, the play. An actor, who has performed beforePrince Charles and has taken part in over 50 public performances of Patri Pe Bachpan — a playwhere he plays the police constable — Rajan was used to getting only accolades and praises andnot slaps and punches. (Asian Age 24.3.04)25 th MarchSuicide victim’s father drags CRPF to court (1)New Delhi: In a gross violation of human rights, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) did notpay a 19-year-old youth, Anil Kumar, his salary for a year, driving him to commit suicide in July2003. Kumar's father has now approached the Delhi High Court for justice. On Wednesday,Kanwar Singh requested the court of Justice Vijender Singh and Justice H R Malhotra to punishthose guilty of abetting the suicide. Singh has alleged that senior CRPF officials werebiased against his son. Singh has demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation from CRPF. When thecourt heard Singh's pleadings, it was "aghast" to learn the reasons which drove Kumar tocommit suicide. The Bench summoned the director general of CRPF and observed: "It isshocking that a 19-year-old has to commit suicide because of total apathy andinsensitiveness of the authorities." The court also held that if such an incident would havehappened in the normal course and not in a force, the offenders would have beenaccountable for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. It sealed the records of the inquirywhich CRPF conducted after Kumar’s suicide. (Times of India 25.3.04)30 th MarchConvict fights on 13 years after death sentence (1)New Delhi, March 29: More than 13 years after being sentenced to death, a man has earned areprieve as the Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal government to put up his mercypetition before the governor for fresh consideration. Dhananjoy Chatterjee alias Dhana wassentenced to death by a Kolkata sessions court in 1991 which convicted him for rape and murder.The high court and the top court rejected his appeals confirming the death sentence. He filed amercy petition before the governor in February 1994. That again was rejected. Appeal againstrejection of the mercy petition was rejected by the single judge bench of the high court.Undeterred, Dhananjoy Chatterjee filed a writ petition before a division bench of the high court

in-charge of Tihar Jail number four — had alleged that his co-prisoners in the ward hadthreatened to kill him and had even attacked him several times. Verma alleged that the coprisonershad demanded money from him and his family and sought transfer from the ward to anyother jail to escape the alleged atrocities by hardcore criminals with whom he shared the ward.Acting on the application, ASJ Jain had sought a reply from the jail authorities on the very nextday. However, the jail authorities did not verify the allegations and Verma managed to flee soonafter leaving Mr Jain's court for Tis Hazari court lock-up. (Asian Age 12.4.04)13 th AprilArmy rights record impeccable: Vij (1)New Delhi: Facing allegations of human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast,Army Chief Gen N C Vij on Monday stressed the record of his force was "impeccable". Speakingat the inauguration of the Army commanders' conference, Vij said the Army was dealing "severely"with officers found guilty of committing atrocities on civilians. "Around 1,380 allegations havebeen levelled in Kashmir since 1990 and 450 in the Northeast. Out of these, only 35 allegations inJ&K and 30 in the Northeast have been found to be genuine," Army officers claimed. "Around 70personnel in J&K and 65 in the Northeast have been punished. Depending on the crime, punishmentranges from forfeiture of seniority and loss of rank to dismissal and RI," another officersaid. The conference will review the strategy to be adopted for counter-insurgency operations inKashmir in the coming summer months when the mountain passes open and infiltration becomesthe order of the day. Vij also expressed satisfaction with the progress in the multi-tiered fencing ofthe Line of Control. (Times of India 13.4.04)19 th AprilProtest against ‘police excess (1)The Journalist Union of Assam and the Journalist Action Committee today demanded a judicialprobe into an alleged incident of police forcing a journalist of a local vernacular daily and severalother people to kneel down on the road during a routine checking and frisking operation inGuwahati on Saturday. In a protest meeting held at the Guwahati Press Club, the members of thetwo journalist bodies and other Guwahati based media persons also sought the suspension of theDeputy Inspector General of Police , Central Western Range, Mukesh Agarwal to ensure animpartial probe. (The Hindu 19.4.04)20 th AprilTraffic police records faulty (1)New Delhi, April 19: The Delhi traffic police has been prompt in challaning vehicle offenders, but,unfortunately, it is not equally punctual in updating its records to avoid duplicity of names whilesending the list of traffic offenders to courts for further action. There have been several instanceswhere vehicle owners have complained of either being fined twice for an offence or summoned bythe court even when they have paid the fine in the traffic offices itself. Thirty-five-year-old Dhanrajwas totally puzzled he got a summon from the court for an offence which he had committed aboutsix months ago. What confused him was that he had promptly paid the fine at a traffic office atR.K. Puram soon after he had com- — milled the offence.The traffic police had slapped him afine of Rs 100, when he had parked his car (DL3CF3033) outside a restaurant in Madhu Vihar inPatparganj. "Probably it was a no-parking zone. I received the challan last year on September 9,which I paid on October 30 at the R.K. Puram traffic police office, vide receipt No 428," saidDhanraj, showing the challan No 4122910 issued at the address of 24 Akbar Road, CongressParty headquarters. (Asian Age 20.4.04)22 nd AprilOne killed in police firing (1)HARDWAR, APRIL 21. One person was killed here today when polio opened fire on a mobprotesting against the "molestation" of the wife of a businessman by three drunken constableslast night. Thousands of irate citizens mobbed the Kotwali police station this morning and over 30people were injured in the clash with police. At least six journalists, including a Doordarshancameraman, were allegedly manhandled by police. Curfew was clamped on the Kotwali police

station limits today and heavy police and paramilitary forces are patrolling the area. The situationcontinues to be tense. Mela police units, comprising men drawn from various districts for duties atthe Ardh Kumbh on the banks of the Ganga here, have been demobilised. Taking a stern view ofthe incidents, the Chief Minister, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, requested the Chief Justice of theUttaranchal High Court to get the matter investigated by a sitting judge. He also ordered a quickassessment of the damage to the shops and the payment of the maximum possiblecompensation to the victims, including journalists. The Government has ordered the immediatetransfer of all powers from the Mela police and the Mela administration to the Hard-war DistrictMagistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police.Describing the incident as shameful, theDirector-General of Police, Prem Dutt Raturi, said the misdeeds of the three constables had givena bad name to the entire police force that had conducted the Ardh Kumbh Mela dutiessuccessfully. (Hindu 22.4.04)25 th AprilHC issues notice to 3 police officials (1)Ahmedabad, April 24: The Gujarat high court on Friday issued notices to three senior policeofficials of the crime branch in response to a petition challenging harassment by the departmentofficials against Pota accused to extract confession about the crime. The petitioner SadaabKhan Pathan is an accused of the case regarding conspiracy to eliminate generalsecretary of state Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dr Jay-deep Patel and senior BJP leaders likeAshok Bhat and Maya Kodnani. The officials against whom notices were served includeadditional commissioner of police G.L. Singhal, assistant commissioner of police, L. division V.V.Chaudhary and PI Tarun Barot. (Asian Age 25.4.04)26 th AprilUndertrials can contest, can’t vote (1)PUNE, APRIL 25: UNDERTRIALS languishing in jails are in a peculiar situation — they can contestthe elections as candidates, but they cannot cast their vote. The reason: Provisions underThe Representation of People Act, 1951 prohibit undertrials from exercising their franchise. Of thetotal 23,964 prisoners in 31 jails across Maharashtra, as many as 15,611, including 605 women,are yet to be convicted. Add to that the number of suspects in police custody. None of them willbe able to cast their vote in the general elections. Inspector General of Prisons (Maharashtra)Prabhat Ranjan, who is in charge of all the jails in the state, said the prisoners' voting rights havebeen suspended under Section 62 of The Representation of People . Act, 1951. Sub-section 5 ofSection 62 of the Act reads: "No person shall vote in any election if he is confined in a prison,whether under a sentence of imprisonment, or transportation or otherwise, or is in the lawfulcustody of the police. However, 157 people who have been detained at various jails as apreventive measure will be allowed to exercise their franchise through the postal ballot. (IndianExpress 26.4.04)28 th AprilThree more cops held for custodial death (1)NEW DELHI, APRIL 27. Three more policemen, including the former Madipur police post incharge,who were allegedly involved in a sensational case in which a 32-year-old man wasallegedly beaten to death while in police custody in West Delhi in October last, have beenarrested by the Crime Branch. A Head Constable has already been arrested in this connection.According to the police, those arrested are the former Madipur police post in-charge, Sub-Inspector Rajbir Singh, and his sub-ordinates, Constables Robin Singh and Jai Prakash. WhileHead Constable Kesar Singh has been arrested, a search for another accused, ConstableRohtas, is on. The incident had taken place when on a tip-off that gambling was going on in thearea, Rajbir along with his team comprising Kesar, Rohtash, Jaiprakash and Robin, reached thespot. However, those indulging in gambling had by then fled the spot. Suspecting that one Sushilhad tipped them of, the police rounded him up. He was taken to Madipur police post and was allegedlytortured. Sushil's relatives alleged that he was found in an unconscious state near hishouse, after which he was rushed to Agrasen Hospital where he was declared dead. Later, thepost mortem indicated that he would have died due to cardiac arrest, which might occur due to

physical torture. In a case in the matter was registered only after the angry residents took tostreets protesting police atrocities and high handedness. The incident also led to a clash amongthe irate residents and the police, in which several policemen were injured. (The Hindu 28.4.040)30 th AprilLook who's guarding the Sahibabad lockup (1)Ghaziabad: Over 75% staff of the Ghaziabad police have b£en deployed for elections duty inother districts. This has left the police no option but to hire private security guards for theiroperations. A Noida thana chief said he had only 15 policemen. The remaining 10 is made up ofsecurity agency personnel, who have no idea of what is expected of them. "So, we make them sitin the patrol vehicles. Still, some of the Gypsys are standing because we don't have enoughprivate personnel," he said, pointing towards a stranded patrol car. At the Sahibabad policestation, a white-haired Mahipal Singh stood guarding the police lock-up. He was smartly dressedin black, and was employed by a local security agency. But, what would Singh do in case aninmate tried to break out? "Well, I don't know. I am not a policeman," confessed Singh. And,who will pay Singh? "I will be paid the regular salary by my employer. I am on 12-hour duty, soonto be replaced by another guard." Police officials said the arrangement to deploy private guardswas an "informal one, with the agencies or local businessmen helping out." Opinion on how effectivenessof the arrangement seemed divided. One police station official, unwilling to be named,was dismissive of their capabilities: "Actually, all these guys are good for is fetching tea or coldwater, which is usually done by constables. We can't train them for police work in two days."(Times of India 30.4.04)1 st MayAction ordered against police officers in custodial death case (1)MUMBAI, APRIL 30. The Bombay High Court today disposed of an important custodial deathcase that lies at the heart of the growing controversy over the use of the Prevention of TerrorismAct (POTA). The case concerns the death in police custody of 27-year-old Khwaja Yunus onJanuary 7, 2003 after he was picked up as a suspect in one of the three bomb blast cases. Policeclaimed that Yunus had run away while being taken from Mum-bai to Aurangabad. However, theco-accused in the same case, Mohammad Mateen and Zaheer Sheikh, stated under oath in thespecial POTA court and before the police that Yunus had been tortured and was vomiting bloodwhen they last saw him on lanuary 6. On the basis of this statement, Yunus' father, who diedrecently, had filed a habeas corpus petition. The case was investigated by the CID on instructionsfrom the special court and on March 3 this year, the Assistant Police Inspector, Sa-chin Vaze,was arrested and charged with conspiring to cause custodial death, destroying evidence,disobeying the direction of the la and framing incorrect records. Mr. Vaze was r leased on bail onApril 28 but the whereabouts the three constables, who were supposed i have accompaniedYunus, are not known. (The Hindu 1.5.04)U.S. Soldiers face action over abuse charges (1)WASHINGTON, APRIL 30. Graphic photographs showing the torture and sexual abuse of Iraqiprisoners in Abu Ghraib orison outside Baghdad, now being run by the United States, haveemerged from a military inquiry which has left six soldiers facing a possible court martial and aGeneral under investigation. The scandal has also brought to light the growing and largelyunregulated role of private contractors in the interrogation of detenus. According to lawyers forsome of the soldiers, they claimed to be acting in part under the instruction of mercenaryinterrogators hired by the Pentagon. U.S. military investigators discovered - the photographs,which include images of a hooded prisoner with wires fixed to his body, and nude inmates piled ina human pyramid. 'The pictures, which were obtained by a American TV network, also show adog attacking a prisoner and other initiates being forced to simulate sex with each other. It isthought the abuses took place in November and December last year. Brigadier General MarkKimmitt, Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. military in Iraq, expressed his embarrassmentand regret for what had happened. He told the CBS current affairs that the investigation began inJanuary when an American soldier reported the abuse and turned over evidence that includedphotographs. "That soldier said: 'There are some things going on here that I cannot live with'."

The U.S. Army confirmed that the General in charge of the jail is facing disciplinary measures andthat six low-ranking soldiers have been charged with abusing and sexually humiliating detenus.Lawyers for the soldiers argue they are being made scapegoats for a rogue military prison systemin which mercenaries give orders without legal accountability. (The Hindu 1.5.04)2 nd MayRevealed: Torture most foul in Iraq (1)London: In the second consecutive body blow to the Anglo-American occupation forces in Iraq in24 hours, leaked photographs have emerged of British soldiers apparently battering an Iraqiprisoner and urinating on him. The unidentified British soldier was shopped to the anti-war DailyMirror tabloid newspaper by two of his serving colleagues in the same regiment. The whistleblowersare quoted to say the photos needed to be made public to show the world why the US-UK invading coalition was encountering such fierce resistance Iraq. News of the alleged Britishabuse of a captive Iraqi civilian came exactly one day after worldwide condemnation of US troopsfor the torture, sexual abuse and degradation of naked and hooded Iraqi prisoners of war (PoWs).In an immediate and sustained campaign to reclaim the moral high ground, British prime ministerTony Blair described his soldiers' alleged conduct as shameful. The defence ministry said it hadlaunched an instant investigation and a visibly-shaken General Michael Jackson, the UK's mostsenior officer, admitted he was sickened by the unlawful conduct. (Times of India 2.5.04)Custodial crime: Mumbai HC won’t buy police story (1)Mumbai: The Mumbai police, which is still recovering from the ignominy of having its top brasssent to jail in Telgi case, received another jolt on Friday when the high court ordered that thepolice version of the Khwaja Yunus case be discarded in favour of the account given by a coaccused.As in the Telgi case, more officers are likely to be booked, with the court orderingspecial court judge trying the case to initiate criminal action, if needed, against all police officerswho had misled the court. According to the police, Yunus, an accused in December 2002Ghatkopar blast case, escaped from police custody on January 7, 2003 while he was being takenfrom Mumbai to Au-rangabad. However, a co-accused, Dr Abdul Mateen, had alleged that Yunuswas beaten mercilessly in lockup and could have died. The court ordered that the complaint filedby assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze about Yunus' escape be closed. It said the complaintwas "maliciously false", the term used by the state's crime intelligence department which is investigatingthe case on the court's directions. After rapping the state for doing precious little in theYunus case, the court directed the CID to treat the statement made by co-acused Abdul Mateenas a first information report against Vaze and others for charges of murder and fabrication ofevidence. (Times of India 2.5.04)3 rd MayAuthenticity of 'torture' images disputed (15)LONDON, MAY 2. Six British soldiers are reportedly being questioned in connection with theallegations of abuse of an Iraqi prisoner last summer even as doubts have been cast on the authenticityof the photographs showing the detainee being kicked and urinated upon by a soldier.It is alleged that the man, who has not been identified, was later thrown out from a runningvehicle, and his fate is still not known. The pictures, published on Saturday by the Mirror newspaperclaiming that these had been given by serving British officers, have provoked widespreadcondemnation. But after the initial expressions of shock and disbelief, there were attempts todayto suggest that the images were fake, and unnamed army sources were quoted as saying that thedescriptions of the rifle with which the Iraqi detainee was allegedly attacked. A source 'close' tothe regiment, to which the accused soldiers belonged, told the BBC that the pictures may nothave been taken in Iraq at all. The make of the rifle was not the type issued to British troops inIraq, he claimed. He also said that British soldiers wore hard hats or berets — and not the sort offloppy hats shown in the photographs. But the Mirror editor, Piers Morgan, insisted that be was"completely satisfied with the veracity of the photographs". "We went to great lengths to checkthem out," he said. "We did not publish these photographs lightly. We were very aware of thereaction but the simple truth of the matter is that this type of behaviour has no place in the Britisharmy." (The Hindu 3.5.04)

US admits Iraqis faced sadistic abuse (15)Washington: Iraqi prisoners faced numerous "sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses" by USsoldiers, including sodomy and beatings, according to a US Army report quoted by the NewYorker magazine. The New Yorker said it had obtained a 53-page, internal US military report intoalleged abuses at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. The army report listedabuses such as "breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees;...beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair; threatening male detainees with rape;allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after beingslammed against the wall in his cell; sodomizing a detainee with alleged abuse of Iraqi prisonersas a "despicable" show of Western hatred toward Muslims, and demanded that the coalition leaveIraq immediately. (Times of India 3.5.04)4 th May6 US officers reprimanded (1)Baghdad: The US military has reprimanded six senior commissioned and non-commissioned officersin connection with the abuse of prisoners at the Abu Gharib prison outside Baghdad, asenior US military official said on Monday. The announcement followed an administrativeinvestigation ordered by Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of US forces inIraq, into abuse of Iraqis at Abu Gharib. Six other soldiers are already being criminallyinvestigated for their involvement in the alleged abuse at a prison notorious in the SaddamHussein era for its torture chambers where thousands of people are believed to have died.The reprimands — the most serious written punishment the US army hands down — are privateand no details would be released on the names or ranks of those punished, the US official said.A seventh person received a lesser letter of admonishment in connection with the same incident.Last week, the US network CBS released pictures of US soldiers abusing and humiliating.prisoners inside Abu Gharib, including piling them up naked and hooded. In one case a prisoner"standing on a box had wires attached to his hands and feet and was told he would beelectrocuted if he stepped off it. Sanchez ordered an investigation into possible abuse in Januaryand in March the US military brought charges of assault, cruelty and maltreatment against six soldiers,members of a military police battalion. The alleged abuses were said to have involvedaround 20 prisoners and took place in November and December last year. (Times of India 4.5.04)Iraq toruture: Intelligence skirted command chain (1)An internal Army investigation has found a virtual collapse of the command structure in a prisonoutside Baghdad where American enlisted personnel are accused of committing acts of abuseand humiliation against Iraqi detainees. A report on the investigation said mid level militaryintelligence officers were allowed to skirt the normal chain of command to issue questionableorders to enlisted personnel from the reserve military police unit handling guard duty there. TheArmy has already begun one investigation into the abuse allegations. Maj. Gen. George R. Fay,the incoming deputy commander of Army intelligence, is examining the interrogation practices ofmilitary intelligence officers at all American-run prisons in Iraq and not just the Abu Ghraib prison.A second review was ordered on Saturday by Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, head of the ArmyReserve, to assess the training of all reservists, especially military police and intelligence officers,the soldiers most likely to handle prisoners. Six members of an Army Reserve military police unitassigned to Abu Ghraib face charges of assault, cruelty, indecent acts and maltreatment ofdetainees. Mr Gary Myers, a lawyer for Staff Sgt. Ivan L. Frederick II, one of the enlisted mencharged in the case, requested over the weekend that the Army open a court of inquiry into theabuse at Abu Ghraib, a move that would expand the investigation beyond the six enlistedpersonnel to look at the broader command failures. The widening prison-abuse scandal in Iraq,which has stirred anger in the Arab world just as the Marines have tried to defuse a bloodyconfrontation in Falluja, holds the potential to damage efforts by American officials to meet a June30 deadline to transfer limited self-rule to the Iraqi people. It appeared to have caught seniorPentagon officials and some top officers off guard on Sunday, despite President Bush'scondemnation of the abuses on Friday.( Asian Age 4.5.04)

4 Keralites flee US camp in Iraq, return home (1)KOLLAM,MAY3: IN A harrowing tale of deceit, anguish and escape, four Keralites — "cheated"by job agents and taken to a US military camp in Iraq — managed to reach home after goingthrough a nine-month-long ordeal in a US camp as slaves. Two brothers among them—Hameedand Shajahan of Velichakkala village —while narrating their tale, said they were among 20Malayalis who escaped from the camp run by US soldiers near Mosul. "Memories of those ninemonths — the deafening sounds of bombs and shell attacks and menial treatment by gun-totingUS soldiers—will always haunt me," Hameed said. They were victims of a job racket that tookthem to Iraq on the promise of a job in Kuwait. "From Kuwait city, we were taken on a long roadjourney, which ended at a checkpoint. There we boarded another bus. Finally, we reached a cityand from a hotel's sign board, we came to know it was Iraq," Shajahansaid. They said that in thefirst four months there they were not allowed to telephone or write home. Though they were toldthat Rs 12,000 would be sent to their home every month, not a single dollar was paid to them.With life becoming unbearable and any risk worth taking, they escaped from the camp last monthand reached Baghdad with the help of a truck driver. From Baghdad they went to Fal-luja andthen to Jordan and Doha before reaching Mumbai on April 28. (Indian Express 4.5.04)2 Indians working at US bases killed in Iraq (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 3: TWO Indians who went to Iraq to work as service personnel at US baseshave been killed and a third has been injured, of bullet wounds sustained driving a US convoy.The two bodies were handed over to the Indian Embassy in Kuwait. While the Government hasn'tofficially confirmed the identities of those killed, the injured man is from Kerala and is currently ina Baghdad hospital. Sources said all three went to Iraq recently—the two killed were hired fromIndia by a recruitment agency in Kuwait. The deaths come amid increasing concern in New Delhiover reports that at least 1,500 ex-servicemen were hired out to Iraq by private security agenciesin the country. This has prompted the Centre to seriously considering bringing in a law to regulatethis mushrooming sector. In fact, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha today said in Chennaithat the Centre would probe how the ex-servicemen were sent to Iraq despite an April 15 ban onsending people to that country. He said that the External Affairs Ministry had already writtenletters to Labour Ministry to take "appropriate action" against private security agencies involvedinto sending ex-servicemen into Iraq. (Indian Express 4.5.004)Gangrape: Court slams senior cop for delay in probe (1)New Delhi, May 3: A CITY court has severely criticised the police investigation into a gang rapecase and asked the commissioner of police to take action against the officers concerned.Metropolitan Magistrate S.S. Rathi criticised the DCP (North East) for not hurrying up the probedespite being directed to supervise it. Sis Aditya Ranjan and Ajay Kumar, Inspectors TejpalNagar and Hukum Chand Rana of Seelampur police station were probing an alleged rape that occurredin October 1998. On October 21,1998, the 15-year-old victim was going to hergrandmother's house when the accused Rohtash offered her a lift. Co-accused Babloo followedthem and the girl was taken to a rented house, where she was confined for 10 days and repeatedlyraped. No arrests were made even though the girl named all the accused. Policepromised to take action after she went to court requesting a transfer of case. (Indian Express4.5.04)5 th MayIraqis express anger against U.S. forces (1)ABU GHRAIB (IRAQ), MAY 4. U.S.authorities freed some 240 inmates from the notorious AbuGhraib prison near Baghdad to waiting relatives today, amid continuing tension over the abuse ofprisoners by military guards. At midday today, scores clustered around a U.S. soldier whoemerged at the dusty perimeter of the sprawling complex to announce the names of those releasedto a crowd of some 200 people, but most were left disappointed. The authorities regularlyfree inmates from Abu Ghraib but some 5,000 so-called "security detainees" remain inside, someof whom have been held since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in March last year. Thepublication of pictures of the sexual humiliation and abuse of detenus at Abu Ghraib by U.S.guards has sparked bewilderment and fear among Iraqis with friends and relatives in the jail.

Regular releases have failed to mollify those who wait outside, including some who say they havebeen coming every day for months without getting the chance to see their relatives. Abu Ghraib,some 32 km west of Baghdad, was where thousands of political prisoners were tortured andexecuted under Saddam Hussein. As many as 4,000 prisoners were executed there in 1984.Despite the huge death toll from Saddam Hussein's time and a U.S. investigation that has seensix guards charged with criminal offences and seven officers reprimanded, few outside the jailwere convinced that much had changed. (The Hindu 5.5.04)PoW abuse: Troops punished, contractors get away (1)WASHINGTON, MAY 4: A LEGAL loophole could allow four American civilian contractorsallegedly involved in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners to escape punishment, US Military officials andspecialists said on Monday. US commanders in Iraq announced that seven military supervisorshave received administrative reprimands over the alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib prison inBaghdad. Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, commander of US forces in Iraq, said the probe into thesupervisors was complete and they would not face further proceedings. Letters of reprimand wereissued to the seven on Saturday, a Pentagon spokesman said, adding that two of the supervisorswere relieved of their positions of responsibility. Another six soldiers are already facing criminalcharges before a court martial. But the four civilian workers identified in an internal Army reportfor their involvement in the physical and sexual mistreatment of the prisoners —including thealleged rape of one detainee—cannot be punished under military law. (Indian Express 5.5.04)Human Rights Minister quits (1)BAGHDAD, MAY 4. The U.S.-led Coalition has accepted the resignation of Iraq's Human RightsMinister, Abdel Basset Turki, who quit his post on April 8 in anger over U.S. military offensives onFallujah and Najaf, the Ministry's spokesman said. "The resignation was accepted on Sunday bythe Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA)," its spokesman, Jihad Zair, said. The U.S.-dominatedCPA has cited human rights as a motivating factor in the invasion last spring to oust theauthoritarian regime of Saddam Hussein. The Coalition demanded human rights protections beinserted into the transitional law that is expected to govern Iraq until a permanent constitution isdrafted by the end of 2005. But the scenes of intense street fighting when U.S. forces assaultedFallujah on April 5 on the hunt for insurgents who brutally murdered four U.S. contractors a daybefore, triggered revulsion among pro-Coalition Iraqis. (The Hindu 5.5.04)MEA asks US for details on Indians in Iraq (1)New Delhi, May 4: India on Tuesday voiced concern over "disturbing reports" regarding theconditions in which some of its nationals are being forced to work in Iraq. New Delhi hasrequested the US embassy here for details of those who are being compelled to remain in thewar-torn country against their will. Replying to queries on such reports, the external affairsministry spokesman said, "The US embassy was requested for information about the numbers ofsuch Indian nationals known to have been employed in this manner, and also about the accountsthat Indians who wished to leave were unable to do so, and were being compelled to continue toremain in Iraq against their will." The spokesman said: "This is in follow up to similar contacts byIndian embassies with the authorities concerned in Baghdad, Amman and Kuwait." Thespokesman said the ministry of external affairs on Tuesday expressed its concern regarding thedisturbing reports about the conditions in which some Indian nationals are being forced to workfor contractors active in Iraq. Following this, a US embassy spokesman said the US is investigatingthe matter. (Asian Age 5.5.04)One more Indian injured, Delhi asks US to check out forced labour (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 4: INDIA is asking the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad and the USmilitary liasion office in Jordan to verify reports about Indian nationals being forced to work inAmerican establishments in Iraq against their will. Both establishments are also being requestedby New Delhi to furnish information about the number of Indians working with private UScontractors and the establishment in Iraq. Meanwhile, another Indian has been admitted to ahospital in Kuwait with serious burns. Official sources said two Indians — one of them wasidentified as Jas-bir Singh from Punjab — have been killed and another two injured. Identified as

Elangovan and Chhotu Khan, the injured were also working at US bases as support servicepersonnel. While Elangovan had been shot in the thigh, Chhotu Khan sustained serious burnsand was said to be in a critical condition. (Indian Express 5.5.04)Judicial remand for prisoners within jail (1)New Delhi: A trip outside the jail may not come too frequently for Tihar inmates now. In a recentdecision, the Delhi High Court has said that prisoners no longer need to travel to courts for gettingtheir judicial remands extended. The process will now be conducted within the prison compounds.The nitty-gritties of the decision are, however, yet to be chalked out. "Two magistrates alreadyvisit the prison. They may be asked to meet inmates for extending their judicial remand. Themodalities will be framed only after a meeting with the district and sessions judge," said DG (Prisons)Ajay Agarwal. Inmates, earlier, had to be produced in court every fortnight for extension ofjudicial remand. In an earlier decision, the high court had decreed that accused against whom achargesheet had been filed by the police need not go to the court for extension of judicial remand.This, now, applies even to those against whom a chargesheet is yet to be filed. Prison authoritiesclaim the decision has come as a relief as transporting inmates to courts in different parts of thecity is a major problem area. "Prisoners often attempt escape or attack each other in the courtlock-up," said a Tihar official. Every day 1,300 inmates are presented in courts in different parts ofthe city." Of these nearly 350 visit the courts for extension of judicial remand. (Times of India5.5.04)6 th MayAbuse widespread: U.S. army (1)WASHINGTON, MAY 5. The U.S. army yesterday admitted there was evidence of widespreadabuse of prisoners in military-run jails in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a leading DemocraticSenator who also called for a review of interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay. EdwardKennedy demanded an investigation into the role of private contractors in questioning prisoners inU.S. military jails, after it emerged that hired interrogators from companies were involved in thephysical and sexual abuse of Iraqi inmates at the Abu Ghraib jail, west of Baghdad. Thecontractors implicated in a U.S. army report had not been questioned and were still at work, theiremployers said yesterday. Senator Kennedy was speaking to journalists after the Senate ArmedServices Committee was briefed behind closed doors by the army. "This does not appear to bean isolated incident and that there are additional reports in Iraq, and also Afghanistan," he said."And I think we also have to find out [about] the conduct of personnel down in Guantanamo aswell." (The Hindu 6.5.04)Bush tries to contain Arab rage (1)Washington: President George W. Bush said on Wednesday in an interview on Arab TV that thetreatment of Iraqi prisoners by some members of the US military was "abhorrent" but does notrepresent "the America that I know." The people of Iraq "must understand that what took place inthat prison does not represent the America that I know." Bush's appearance on Arab televisionwas set for the day after the Army disclosed that it is conducting criminal investigations of 10prisoner deaths in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus another 10 abuse cases.In addition, the deaths of two Iraqi prisoners already have been ruled homicides. In one case, asoldier was court-martialed, reduced in rank and discharged from the Army. In the other homicide,a CIA contract interrogator's conduct has been referred to the Justice Department forcriminal prosecution. "There will be investigations, people will be brought to justice," Bush said ofthe alleged humiliation and abuse of prisoners at Abu Gharib prison near Baghdad, a notoriousprison during Saddam Hussein's regime that was taken over by US troops. (Times of India6.5.04)Indians recall forced work in US Army camp (1)Kochi, May 5: Four Indians said on Wednesday they were held against their will by US troops inIraq to do menial work in an Army camp amid insurgent attacks. Aliyarkunj Faisal, Abdul AzizShahjehan, Haniffa Mansool and Hameed Abdul Hafiz said they signed up in August with arecruiting agency to work for a caterer in Kuwait. When they reached the Kuwait airport, a US

soldier ordered them to board a bus that took them to a base near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul,they said. "There were some 20 Indians in the bus. Once we knew that we were inside Iraq, weprotested," Faisal said. "But the Americans told us that they had paid a Kuwait agency $ 1,000 foreach man and therefore it was a must that we work for them." Shahjehan said the camp, whichhe could not name, often was the target of missile attacks by Iraqi fighters. "Every time the campwas attacked, we took shelter in a bunker. The fear of seeing so many bomb explosions stillhaunts me," he said, adding that the US Army also gave them training on how to remain alert andget into bunkers. (Asian Age 6.5.04)7 th MayKept in the dark on torture photos, Bush slams Rumsfeld (1)WASHINGTON, MAY 6: PRESIDENT Bush on Wednesday chastised Defense Secretary DonaldH Rumsfeld for his handling of a scandal over the American abuse of Iraqis held at a notoriousprison in Baghdad, White House officials said. The disclosures by the White House officials, underauthorisation from Bush, were an extraordinary display of fingerpointing in an administrationled by a man who puts a high premium on order and loyalty. The officials said the President hadexpressed his displeasure to Rumsfeld during a meeting in the Oval Office because ofRumsfeld's failure to tell Bush about photographs of the abuse. In his interviews Wednesday withArab television networks, the President said that he learned the graphic details of the abuse caseonly when they were broadcast last Wednesday on the CBS programme 60 Minutes II. "Whenyou see the pictures," the official said, "it takes on a proportion of gravity that would require amuch more extreme response than the way it was being handled." (Indian Express 7.5.04)8 th May19 Yr. Old beaten up in custody (1)New Delhi: A 19-year-old man was allegedly beaten up by police in Vivek Vihar police station onMay 4. The man, who had been detained for riding motorcycle without a helmet, later developedserious vision problem due to injuries. "A vigilance inquiry has been ordered against the SHO andother policemen by the commissioner," said a police officer. The man, Tinku, was on his wayhome in Jwala Nagar along with his brother on Tuesday when he was asked to stop by apatrolling team. The police claim he tried to flee following which he was detained and brought tothe police station. (Times of India 8.5.04)US knew of Iraq abuse: Red Cross (1)Delhi/Geneva: Amidst the rising chorus of voices demanding the scalp of US defence secretaryDonald Rumsfeld for having tolerated — and presumably sanctioned — the torture of prisoners inIraq, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has waded in to deliver what couldwell be a fatal blow. A leaked ICRC report, confirmed as genuine by officials from thehumanitarian agency on Friday, contradicts a central claim of the Bush administration: that theprison violence was individual and not systemic, and was stopped as soon as reports first camein about it. At a press conference in Geneva on Friday afternoon, a senior ICRC official revealedthat the Red Cross had "repeatedly requested the US authorities to take corrective action" to stopthe torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Baghdad but that its advice went unheeded for well overnine months. It was only in January 2004 that the US army suspended Janis Karpinski,commander of Abu Ghraib, and asked a senior general to look into the ICRC's findings. (Times ofIndia 8.5.04)What Iraqi torture victims can do (1)New Delhi: Subjecting prisoners to torture and inhuman treatment is a grave breach of theGeneva Convention and is a war crime under international humanitarian law. The Conventionagainst Torture bans the infliction of severe pain during interrogation and makes no exception forwar or terrorism. At the Nuremberg war crimes trials of Nazis after World War II, the tribunal didnot allow an accused officer to claim the defence, "I was following orders" from the top. Moderndaywar crimes prosecutions of officers and leaders from the former Yugoslavia have emphasisedthat where the commission of crimes is systematic and prolonged enough to suggest being part

of official policy, it is not necessary to prove direct complicity for each and every incident oftorture or illegal execution. (Times of India 8.5.04)9 th MayTorture is US internal affair, says Advani (1)New Delhi: Even as India continues to maintain a deliberate — and telling — silence on thegrowing controversy surrounding the Advani torture of Iraqi prisoners by US occupation forces,Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on Saturday declared that what has happened is an "internalmatter" for the US. "What has happened is shocking and disgusting and one gets the feeling ofrevulsion," Advani told IANS at Thiruvananthapuram. At the same time, he said it was up to theIndian government "to decide what to condemn and what not to condemn". The DPM was joiningissue with Kerala CM A K Antony, who said if Indira, Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi had been PM, Indiawould have strongly condemned US behaviour in Iraq. "Antony's observation is subjective. Wealso don't comment on everything, just as the US does not comment on every internal happeningin India," Advani said. The issue is a sensitive one in Kerala, given complaints by Malayaliworkers of having been mistreated by American troops in Iraq. (Times of India 9.5.004)10 th MayUS soldier to face public trial in Iraq over abuse (1)Baghdad, May 9: A 24-year-old military policeman will face a public court martial in Baghdad nextweek, the first of the seven American soldiers to be tried on charges of abusing Iraqi prisoners, aUS military spokesman said on Sunday. Stung by photographs of humiliation that have hardenedArab anger at the United States, the Army promised full media access - when SpecialistJeremy Sivits goes on trial on May 19, but it was unclear if the court hearings would be televised."It is not our intention to hide anything," Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt told a newsconference, though he has insisted there would be no "show trial." Specialist Sivits whofaces three charges, including one of maltreating detainees, is one of the seven militarypolice to be charged with abusing prisoners in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, whereSaddam Hussein's torturers tormented thousands of Iraqis. The case was opened in Januarybut blew up into a major scandal' 10 days ago when a US television station publishedphotographs showing grinning soldiers at Abu Ghraib with naked and hooded Iraqis in sexualjyhumiliating postures. (Asian Age 10.5.04)Abuse of prisoners condemned (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 9. The Congress today condemned the "barbaric" incidents of abuse of Iraqiprisoners and deplored the attitude of the Vajpayee Government in regarding it an internal affairof the United States. "The National Democratic Alliance Government has not only failed tocondemn the barbaric treatment meted to prisoners in Iraq, including some, of Indian origin, buthas the temerity to state that what the coalition forces do in Iraq is an internal affair of the UnitedStates," the party chief spokesperson, S. Jaipal Reddy, said. The party said everybody knew thatwhat happened in the Iraqi prison was not only a violation of the Geneva Convention but also ofbehaviour in a civilised society and that even the U.S. Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, hadsaid as much to the U.S. Senate. Mr. Reddy said all those who were concerned about civilisedinternational conduct must take up the matter. "We condemn not only the incident in Iraq but alsodeplore the attitude of the Government of India with regard to what happened in Iraq," he said.The Congress also said that the Kerala Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, had taken up the issue sincesome people from the State were among those who were subjected to such behaviour. TheGovernment of India could not put an embargo on a Chief Minister's right to make a publiccomment while it was for the Government to articulate the country's stance. (The Hindu 10.5.04)Adolescent prisoners want more food (1)New Delhi: A section of Tihar jail inmates — adolescent prisoners and undertrials — are up inarms claiming that they are not getting enough to eat. The additional sessions judge who visitsTihar regularly took up the matter and recommended that the youth who are in a "growing age"be provided more food. But Tihar officials say they cannot increase the amount of food given toeach inmate without clearance from the Delhi government. "We are in a spot. On one hand,

there's a magisterial direction, on the other, there's protocol," said a Tihar official. The CentralPrison, Tihar, gets Rs 5 crore every year for providing food to over 12,000 inmates every year."A certain amount of food has been fixed in the prison diet scale for each inmate. At present,adolescent inmates are getting rations for one adult. The diet chart is prepared to ensure thatthey get 3,200 calories of nutrition every day. But, it appears the food is not enough," said a Tiharofficial. (Times of India 10.5.04)11 th MayBlair apologises for Iraq prisoner abuse (1)London, May 10: British Prime Minister Tony Blair issued a qualified apology on Sunday night toIraqi prisoners who may have been mistreated by British forces, declaring that such actions — iftrue — were "absolutely and totally unacceptable." In the face of a growing public outcry, Mr Blairexpressed his regret at claims that soldiers beat and humiliated prisoners in Iraq, in breach of theGeneva Convention. Although he sought to limit the scope of his apology to those affected, itconfirmed that the UK government has been unsettled by the outcry over revelations that Britishsoldiers are being investigated for abuses against prisoners. UK defence secretary Geoff Hoonwill make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday in the face of claims that thegovernment knew about possible abuses by British and United States troops in February, butremained silent. At the launch of Labour's European parliamentary election campaign on Monday,Mr Blair said those things raised by February's Red Cross report "were either being investigatedor had indeed been investigated." Of the alleged abuse highlighted by pictures published in theMirror newspaper he said: "As far as I'm aware, not merely myself, but other governmentministers did not know of these specific allegations until they arose in the newspapers recently."(Asian Age 11.5.04)12 th MaySiachen ‘fake killings’ HC disposes of Major’s plea (1)CHANDIGARH, MAY 11: PUNJAB and Haryana High Court today disposed of a petition of MajorSurinder Singh, the Army officer alleged to be behind the 'Siachen fake killings against hisattachment in Jammu and Kashmir. The petition was disposed of by a division bench, cornprisingJustice V.K. Bali and Justice M.S. Gill, after the Army counsel gave an undertaking thatthe officer will be attached to a unit outside Jarnmu and Kashmir for trial and that the procedingswould be open to public. Singh, who as a Company Commander in 5/5 Gorkha Rifles allegedlystaged fake killings and demolitions of enemy bunkers, had filed a petition to be moved to alocation where he would get fair opportunity to defend himself. He had challenged the (Army's)order of his attachment to a remote unit in the Kashmir valley on the grounds that there is arestriction placed by the Medical Board on his employability that he is unfit for service in highaltitude area. He had said that the unit to which he is being attached is at such a place which isinsurgency infested area and where his health will suffer and no counsel could go there to defendhimself. (Indian Express 12.5.04)Boy who says cops damaged eye facing threats (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 11: AFTER having lost vision in the right eye due to alleged police beating,Tinku says he is now living in fear. The local police, he says, are asking him to withdraw hiscomplaint against them with daily threats. Tinku, 19, and his younger brother, Sunny, 13, wereallegedly beaten up by Vivek Vihar SHO Ram Niwas Vashisht and other policemen on the nightof May 4. The brothers have identified the SHO and a constable, Subhash, who along with four tofive other policemen had beaten them up with lathis. The police are yet to register a case againsttheir men who are still posted at the same police station. A vigilance inquiry by DCP (vigilance) GC Dwivedi has been announced. He said it would take another two to three days to be completed.The family today approached the National Human Rights Commission. They had earlier gone tothe Chief Minister's office. In her letter to Police Commissioner K K Paul, Tinku's mother, VidyaDevi, has said her son was beaten and tortured for not carrying a helmet and a licence and sincethey were Sansis. She said they were being threatened to compromise and withdraw the

complaint. (Indian Express 12.5.04)13 th MayMan beaten to death by three RPF men at railway station (1)New Delhi: A 35-year-old rickshaw puller was beaten to death by three Railway Protection Force(RPF) personnel on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred at the Old Delhi railway station. Thethree accused RPF men, including an officer, have been identified. "We have identified the threeaccused and are verifying them. A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has beenregistered against them," said deputy commissioner of police (railways) Dependra Pathak.The police said that the victim, Nandu, a rickshaw puller was found dead at the Old Delhi railwaystation at about 5.30 pm on Tuesday. Nandu died due to severe head and spinal injuries. Nanduwas beaten with sticks and kicked by the three men till he started bleeding from the nose andears. He was then left lying on the platform," said a police officer. Eyewitnesses said that Nandupulled himself up and walked on the platform for a little while, after being beaten. He thenreportedly lay down. When he did not get up, a PCR call was made by an eyewitness, said thepolice. (Times of India 13.5.04)Bank manager alleges harassment by police (1)New Delhi: The manager of Bank of Baroda has alleged he was harassed by the Delhi Policeafter the wife of a senior police officer claimed her jewellery was stolen from the bank's locker.Umeshwar C Vasal, the manager, said that the Chanakyapuri police were forcing him to pay Rs1.5 lakh to the woman, K S R Lakshmi, without registering a case. Vasal filed a writ petition beforethe court of Chief Justice B C Patel and Justice B D Ahmed. According to him, the Lakshmi'shusband K C Reddy is an IGP and presently on an assignment with the United Nations. Hisadvocate Mohit Mathur told the court that the police had not registered an FIR but were regularlycalling his client for questioning. "A team of police officers headed by the SHO of Chanakyapuricame to the bank and threatened to book him in a case," Mathur told the court. When the judgessought an explanation from police counsel Mukta Gupta, the latter claimed Reddy's wife hadgiven a written complaint to the police and, therefore, the police were questioning Vasal. But onreading the complaint, the court found that it was not stamped. (Times of India 13.5.04)17 th MayJawan molests girl in Kupwara (1)Srinagar: An attempted molestation bid by a jawan on a teenage girl in Marat village of Kupwaradistrict led to massive protest demonstrations on Saturday, ending only when the commandingOfficer assured protesters of disciplinary action against the erring soldier. The jawan, lateridentified as a member of the 30 Rashtriya Rifles, was arrested. While patrolling the Mawar-Handwara road, the jawan allegedly entered the house of Abdul Rashid Malik by force. The girl,18-year-old Rubiya, was alone at home at that time. Seeing her there, the jawan grabbed her butlet her go and fled the scene when people came rushing hearing her scream. As the newsspread, people came out on the roads and staged demonstrations. (Times of India 17.5.04)Rumsfeld approved of torture, says report (1)WASHINGTON, MAY 16. In a development that is bound to perk up the debate here andoverseas on the gross abuses of Iraqi prisoners especially as it related to who in the Pentagonwas in the know of things, it is now being said the U.S. Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, andone of his top aides approved of the tactics. According to a forthcoming article in The NewYorker, author Seymour Hersh says Mr. Rumsfeld and the Under Secretary of Defence forIntelligence, Stephen Cambone, approved tougher interrogation techniques in Iraq in 2003 to getbetter information from prisoners against the backdrop of a growing and intensive insurgencythreat. Mr. Hersh makes the point that the "special access programme" was expanded to allowauthorities at Abu Ghraib to engage in degrading and humiliating the prisoners "in an effort togenerate more intelligence about the growing insurgency in Iraq." The original programme startedwith growing frustrations in Afghanistan in the weeks after the start of American air operations.The plan apparently authorised by Mr. Rumsfeld with approval from the National Security AdviserCondoleezza Rice gave blanket authorisation to kill or capture and interrogate "high value"

targets in the war on terror. The U.S. President, George Bush, was informed of the plan. (TheHindu 17.5.04)19 th MayArmy to return innocents (1)HAMIRPUR, MAY 18 : THIS promises to change the face of Indo-Pak bilateral ties. With Indiaexpecting the release of two soldiers, Lance Naik Jagsir Singh and Sapper Mohammed Arif"very soon", Chief of Army Staff General N.C. Vij said today the Indian Army is trying to returnanyone who strays across the border at the earliest. The two soldiers had been captured byPakistani troops near Kargil about five years ago and had been written off as deserters while theirfamilies suffered in silence. When asked about the two soldiers, Vij said: "During our last telephonicconversation, the Pakistan DGMO promised they would be released very soon. They arebenefits would be restored from June 1." He has also ordered that the label of deserter beexpunged and asked for interim relief for the families. Talking of Pakistanis lodged in Indianprisons, including 35-year-old Salim Ali Shah now in Amritsar Central Jail, General Vij said: "Wehave conveyed Pakistan's request to the Centre and the government is working on it. Threeministries— the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs—areinvolved in the process. It is basically a kind of reciprocal arrangement between the twoneighbours." (Indian Express 19.5.04)21 ST MayMore photos of abuse emerge (1)WASHINGTON, MAY 20. The Justice Department is investigating the death of an Abu Ghraibprison detenu whose body, packed in ice, appears in photos showing two American soldiersposing above him with thumbs up, a U.S. official said onThursday. The photos show Army Sgt.Charles A. Graner Jr. and Spc. Sabrina Harman, both of whom have already been charged in theIraq prisoner abuse scandal. They were shown first on Wednesday by ABC-TV and on Thursdayby the Arabic TV station Al-Arabiya. A U.S. government official, speaking on condition of anonymity,identified the dead detenu as Manadel al-Jamadi. The official confirmed that al-Jama-di'sdeath was among those being investigated for possible criminal violations by Justice Departmentprosecutors. The detenu, whose badly bruised corpse was in a body bag packed with ice, died inthe prison's showers while being interrogated by the CIA or other civilian agents, ABC reportedon Wednesday. At least three such CIA cases have been referred by the agency to the JusticeDepartment for prosecution, the official said. In an account published on Monday, the LosAngeles Times reported that the victim had been brought to the prison with his head covered byan empty sandbag. It said he died in the midst of intensive questioning in the shower by militaryintelligence officials. After he collapsed, the interrogators removed the bag and then saw severehead wounds that had not been treated. (The Hindu 21.5.04)Systemic abuse of women prisoners (1)BAGHDAD, MAY 20. The scandal at Abu Ghraib prison was first exposed not by a digitalphotograph but by a letter. In December 2003, a woman prisoner inside the jail west of Baghdadmanaged to smuggle out a note. Its contents were so shocking that, at first, Amal Kadham Swadiand the other Iraqi women lawyers who had been trying to gain access to the U.S. jail found themhard to believe. The note claimed that U.S. guards had been raping women detenus, who were,and are, in a small minority at Abu Ghraib. Several of the women were now pregnant, it added.The women had been forced to strip naked in front of men, it said. The note urged the Iraqiresistance to bomb the jail to spare the women further shame. Late last year, Swadi, one ofseven female lawyers now representing women detenus in Abu Ghraib, began to piece together apicture of systemic abuse and torture perpetrated by U.S. guards against Iraqi women held indetention without charge. This was not only true of Abu Ghraib, she discovered, but was, as sheput it, "happening all across Iraq." In November last year, Swadi visited a woman at a U.S.military base at al-Kharkh, a former police compound in Baghdad. "She was the only woman whowould talk about her case. She was crying. She told us she had been raped," Swadi says."Several American soldiers had raped her. She had tried to fight them off and they had hurt herarm. She showed us the stitches. She told us, 'We have daughters and husbands. For God's

sake don't tell anyone about this.'" (The Hindu 21.5.04)22 nd MaYTeenage torture case: HC blames police for inaction (1)New Delhi: Taking strong exception to a case in which a policeman was accused of torturing ateenager in Ambedkar Nagar police station, the high court has summoned the deputy commissionerof police (crime), the delinquent sub-inspector and his immediate assistant commissionerof police for failing to initiate action against the accused. Justice Mukul Mudgal summoned theofficers when he learnt that sub-inspector Praveen Kumar continues to be in service. Mudgalblasted Delhi Police for not taking disciplinary action against Kumar and said he would not besurprised if Kumar has been promoted. j During the hearing of the case where Kumar has movedthe court for compensation, Mudgal hinted he would not shy away from sending delinquentofficials to jail. He is hearing the case in lieu of Justice Manmohan Sarin who is on leave.Mudgal has asked the three officials to be present in court personally on Monday. He has alsotold the police advocate to file an affidavit stating as to whether Kumar has been promoted,suspended, transferred, arrested or interrogated. "If I do not get a satisfactory reply I shall sendhim to jail," said the judge. Kumar had allegedly subjected Deepak Kumar to third degree torture.To avoid action against him, he got Deepak admitted to Batra Hospital under a fictitious name.When the incident was exposed, the National Human Rights Commission intervened and got acase registered. Although the matter was transferred to crime branch for investigation, there hasbeen no progress in the probe. (Times of India 22.5.04)HC rescues prisoners who can’t afford bail (1)New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has come to the rescue of several prisoners who arelanguishing in jail for more than a year after securing a bail in their favour. These prisoners arethose undertrials who do not have the money to deposit surety fixed by a lower court whilegranting them bail. Concerned over the plight of these prisoners, Justice R S Sodhi has directedthe courts to take immediate action for their release. As per the procedure, the lower court, wherean un-dertrial is produced for the first time, has to take a decision within three months of receivingreport on the prisoner who is granted bail. But in case of these 158 prisoners, the courts have notacted as per law. Sodhi said: "I must emphasise all courts must seriously take note of the factthat poverty should not be the stumbling block for keeping a person in jail, for his continueddetention would be violation of procedure established by law." He also dealt with those caseswhere 538 undertrials, accused in cases where offence is punishable upto 10 years, continue tobe behind bars for more than a year. Although Sodhi did not direct the lower courts tospeed up the bail process of these undertrials, he said: "A person is deemed innocent untilproven guilty and also bail is a right and its denial an exception." (Times of India 24.5.04)25 TH MayCustodial torture: HC pulls up police (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 24: THE Delhi High Court today hauled up the Delhi Police while hearing acase of custodial torture and asked the police why the matter should not be investigated by theCBI. The petitioner, Deepak, the son of a casual labourer, had alleged that he was falsely implicatedin a case, detained and physically tortured in Ambedkarnagar PS by SI Praveen Kumar,in June 2002. By court order, SI Praveen Kumar was summoned before court. Also presentwas DCP Crime Deepender Khan. In reply to an earlier court query regarding Kumar's post, thepolice counsel said today that Kumar had been transferred to a "non-sensitive" posting in thedisaster management cell. Justice Mukul Mudgal reserved the case for orders on July 16 andalso asked both the petitioner and respondent to suggest guidelines to prevent such incidentsfrom happening. According to Deepak, Kumar allegedly injected petrol and thinner into hisrectum. The policeman had asked for Rs 50,000 to set him free. Deepak said that police admittedhim to Batra Hospital, under an assumed name, because he was in a serious condition. Thepolice allegedly threatened his family and warned him not to tell anyone. (Hindustan Times25.5.04)26 th MaY

104 case diary files on crimes missing in Madurai police stations (1)MADURAI, MAY 25. As many as 104 case diary (CD) files on grave offences are "missing" from18 police stations in Madurai city. The files, pertaining mostly to attempts to murder, robbery andExplosives Act cases, were not available when Police Commissioner Abhash Kumar made asurprise check last week. "Some cases date back to early 1990s and no action could be pursued,including filing of charge sheets, since the flies are missing. It is not clear how the files on suchgrave offences could vanish. We have summoned for enquiry the investigation officers, some ofwhom are now in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police," Mr. Abash Kumar told The Hinduhere today. In the Tallakulam station alone, some 40 CD files were found missing. A written explanationhas been sought from the officers (who investigated the cases) why they did not handover the files to successors on their transfer/retirement. It is suspected that some police officialsmight have either "destroyed" or "misplaced" case particulars to favour the accused. However, itis intriguing how the complainants tolerated undue delay in pursuing the cases, say policeofficials. "The legal proceedings came to a standstill since the police did not file the charge sheet.It was almost like dropping action at one's own behest, deviating from standard guidelines," Mr.Abhash Kumar said. In cases in which the CD files could not be traced, fresh papers were beingprepared. (Hindu 26.5.04)28 th MayLock-up torture death slur on police (1)Kolkata, May 27: A 38-year-old man picked up by the Nodakhali P.S. in South 24 Parganas diedat the M.R. Bangur Hospital on Tuesday night. Kanani Santra was admitted to the hospital withmultiple injuries. The police said he had been injured during a "scuffle between the inmates" butthe dead's family refused to buy the "theory". "The police beat him to death," said Rita, Kanai'swife. "We will move the State Human Rights Commission on Thursday," she thundered. Herfamily lodged a complaint with the police. Hundreds of villagers agitated before the Nodakhalipolice station. DC,HQ Harmanprit Singh said: "Kanai's body has been sent for post mortem. Weare also conducting a videography of the body." Kanai, a small-time electrician, had beenarrested on Sunday on charges of theft of jewellery from a temple at Kalitala village. On Tuesday,Santra was produced before the Alipur SDJM where he fell unconscious. Soon he was admittedto the M.R. Bangur Hospital. A few inmates fought among themselves and Kanai was injuredduring the brawl before dying in hospital at 8.40 pm, the sub-inspector of the Bengal Court Lockup wrote in a note sent to the Alipore Police Station. (Asian Age 28.5.04)Politicians' silence stuns men in uniform (1)NEW DELHI, MAY 27. Morale has plummeted in the Border Security Force as a result of thepolitical neglect of the victims of Sunday's Lower Munda bombing. Twelve soldiers and 17civilians, including six women and children, were killed in the bombing, which targeted a buscarrying combat troops returning home on vacation along with their families. Five survivors arenow battling for their lives in the Burns Unit of the Safdarjang Hospital in New Delhi. Neither theJammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, nor any member of his Cabinetattended the ceremonial military honours accorded to the victims of the bombing on Monday,before the bodies were flown home for cremation. Nor did political representatives of the lammuand Kashmir Government visit the injured in hospital prior to their being taken to New Delhi. Suchvisits are standard practice across the nation after major tragedies involving military and ' policepersonnel. The lammu and Kashmir Governor, Lieutenant-General (retd.), S.K. Sinha, didnot attend the ceremony either, but sent a letter to the BSF expressing sorrow at the outrage. TheGovernor's letter records that he would have liked to attend the wreath-laying ceremony, but hedid not do so fearing the security burden it would have posed for the BSF. He later phoned thesenior commanders in Srinagar saying he would like to visit the injured. (The Hindu 28.5.04)30 th MayKhaki uniform is synonymous with terror for city ragpickers (1)New Delhi, May 29: Subjected to police harassment daily, the ragpickers of Khanpur in SouthDelhi have rejected the Delhi police motto: "With you, for you, always" calling it farce. For them,khaki uniform is synonymous with terror and corruption, they say, narrating the misbehaviour of

the two area police constables, who are allegedly ruining the < image of the entire police force.Ragpickers living in the t Khanpur area alleged that the c two beat constables of ; Madangir policepost have i made their life hell. "Whatever little we earn is taken away t by the two constables,Subash and Ombir, as bribe." "Jab hum unhe mana karthe hai, tho woh humko ; darate hai aurdanda dikahte hai. (When we refuse to give I them money, they threaten I us.)" So much so thatthe entire ragpickers community has ( been passing their days in fear of police terror. None iwould dare give their names. ; "Aap kuch bhi likh lijiye madam. Home tho wahi rahna hain, " theysaid, pleading anonymity. Rajid (name changed) alleged that the two policemen made regularrounds in the area only to collect money. Sahid (name changed) said every month i the two wereextorting Rs i 1 ,000 each from the contrac- i tors to allow them to pick rags. "They threaten us incase we ignore their tantrums. (Asian Age 30.5.04)31 st May71-year-old Section 506, will continue (1)New Delhi, May 30: There seems to be no stopping for the men in khaki, who by the virtue ofSection 506 of the Indian Penal Code are empowered to arrest any alleged offender and sendhim to jail. Under the said section, the person cannot be released on bail unless he approachescourt. Section 506, which is a 71-year-old provision under the 1PC, will continue in Delhi, more soafter a notification from the lieutenant-governor who recently undertook its review in complianceof the directions given by the Delhi high court. Justice J.D. Kapoor, who retired recently, in alandmark ruling has issued a direction asking the state government to quash .the decades-oldnotification. While calling for a much-required review of the overall situation and to decide thecontinuation of the said "dreaded" section, Justice Kapoor maintained that the said notificationhas, already. outlived its utility. The notification, which was introduced way back in 1933, actuallygave police personnel the power to arrest anybody under Section 506 without a warrant and notreleasing him as he was not entitled to bail. The notification in point, dated January 11, 1933, wasissued by then chief commissioner of Delhi, who had declared the offence punishable underSection 506 as "cognisable" and "non-bailable." (Asian Age 31.5.04)2 ND June'Patterns' behind Iraqi prisoners' deaths (1)WASHINGTON, JUNE 1. More than one third of the prisoners who have died in Americancustody in Iraq and Afghanistan were either shot, strangled or beaten by U.S. personnel,according to official death certificates and a high ranking official quoted in USA Today. Accordingto the report, the military official who has "direct knowledge" of the ongoing investigation of thedeaths in the Pentagon has said that 15 of the 37 prisoners who have died since December 2002appear to have been put in danger by American troops or those who had interrogated. "In somecases the immediate cause of death was listed as a heart attack, but that was in turn caused by abeating," the report says. What is being pointed out that some of the cases — like for instance thedeath of four prisoners at Abu Ghraib as a result of prison rioting — have been cleared; butothers are yet to be sorted out, with the Pentagon investigating at least eight deaths as'suspicious.' The numbers are not adding up and the Defence Department is yet to provide adetailed list, it is being pointed out. The USA Today speaks of at least three 'patterns' that haveemerged thus far: six prisoners died as a result of "blunt force trauma" or excessive force beingused on the prisoners by captors or prison guards; at least four prisoners died from strangulation,asphyxia, smothering or "compromised respiration;" and at least nine prisoners died in Baghdadand Abu Ghraib prison as a result of heart or 'heat' related deaths. Investigators are now lookinginto at least one 'heat' related death to see if the prisoner was given adequate water and propercare. (The Hindu 2.6.04)9 th JuneBeaten up in police custody, man battles for life in hospital (1)New Delhi: FOUR DELHI police official mercilessly beat up a person, alleged to be a rapeaccused, in police custody and hanged him upside down. Critically injured, he was finally admittedto a private nursing home on a fake identity in North-West district where he is battling forhis life. Medical Superintendent of Saroj Hospital, P K Bhardwaj, said that on June 5, some police

officials admitted a person named Satpal who was badly injured. His legs were swollen and bothhis kidneys were also found damaged. When asked who were the policemen who got Satpal admittedto the Hospital, Dr Bhardwaj replied that the names of the policemen are not mentioned inthe hospital record. Later it was revealed that the original name of Satpal was Viswanathanwho was detained by the plice ina rape case of a five year old girl in Jehangirpuri. (Pioneer9.6.004)Rape-accused alleges torture (1)A man arrested in connection with a rape-cum-murder in Jahangirpuri area in northwest Delhithree days ago, was admitted to a local hospital with severe pain in stomach and vomitting allegedlyafter a beating in police custody. Vishwanath is an accused in the rape-cum-murder of a5-year-old girl which took place on May 13. He was a neighbour of the victim. The parents of thegirl had told the police that they had seen the accused with the girl. He was admitted to SarojHospital after he complained pain and vomitting. However, police denied the allegation.Vishwanath wasn't beaten-up in custody. The doctors who examined him told us that it appearsto be a hereditary problem," said M.K Aggarwal, Additional DCP, north-west district. (IndianExpress 9.6.04)Justice Dept memo okayed torturing terrorists (1)WASHINGTON, JUNE 8: THE Justice Department advised the White House in August 2002 thattorturing Al Qaeda terrorists in captivity abroad "may be justified," and that international lawsagainst torture "may be unconstitutional if applied to interrogations" conducted in PresidentBush's war on terrorism, according to a newly obtained memo. If a government employee were totorture a suspect in captivity, "he would be doing so in order to prevent further attacks on theUnited States by the Al Qaeda terrorist network," said the memo, from the Justice Department'soffice of legal counsel, written in response to a CIA request for legal guidance. It added thatarguments centering on "necessity and self-defence could provide justifications that wouldeliminate any criminal liability" later. The memo seems to counter the pre-September 11,2001assumption that US government personnel would never be permitted to torture captives. It wasoffered after the CIA began detaining and interrogating suspected Al Qaeda leaders inAfghanistan and elsewhere in the wake of the attacks, according to government officials familiarwith the document. The legal reasoning in the 2002 memo, which covered treatment of Qaedadetainees in QA custody, was later used in a March 2003 report by Pentagon lawyers assessinginterrogation rules governing the Defence Department's detention centre at Guantanamo Bay,Cuba. (Indian Express 9.6.04)17 th JuneMan remains in jail despite bail due to police negligence (1)New Delhi: SHEER NEGLIGENCE on the part of the police has forced an undertrial to remain inprison for two consecutive days despite the court granting him bail. The bail bond furnished byhim has been misplaced by the police. But the police claim that they haven't got the pertinentdocument from the court in the first place. Prithvi Puri, charged in a case of house trespass duringnight with an intention to steal, was granted bail on Monday. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ)Aruna Suresh ordered for a surety of Rs 15,000 to be furnished for his release. Following this,Sunil Kumar, the house owner of Prithvi furnished a surety of the like amount and the same wassubmitted in the court. The judge after verifying the same sent it across to the Vasant Kunj policestation for verification. But on appearing the next day, Puri realised that his term in prison has notyet come to an end since the police failed to bring out its report. Taking note of this breach ofdiscipline, Metropolitan Magistrate Brijesh Kumar Garg on Tuesday issued a showcause notice tothe Station House Officer while issuing bailable warrants against the investigating officer (10) ofthe case. A diary entry against the police officials was also recorded at Tilak Marg police stationfor disobedience of court orders. (Pioneer 17.6.04)18 th JuneIshrat was innocent, say friends (1)

MUMBRA (MAHARASTRA), JUNE 17. "It is the first time I heard of the Lashkar-e-Taiba," saidShamima, mother of the 19-year-old Ishrat Jahan Shamim Raza, who was shot dead by Gujaratpolice on Tuesday on the suspicion that she was a terrorist. At her small apartment in Rashidcompound in this crowded town in Thane district, Shamima was told of the death of her daughter,a second-year science student at Mumbai's Gurunanak Khalsa College, by reporters onTuesday evening. "We had no cable television or newspaper, so I had no idea. One of thereporters showed me my daughter's picture in the paper and it was then that I realised that it washer," she said. "My daughter used to leave at eight in the morning and come home at four andthen take tguitions. She also helped me with running the house. She had no time for herself andwas my main support, said Shamima. Friends, neighbours and well-wishers were standingaround the three-storeyed apartment in anger and silence. No one could believe that Ishrat wasnot among them any more. They said that Ishrat was innocent. In college, she was popular."She left on Saturday but I did not know where she had gone. Later, my children told me that shehad taken some clothes with her. It was a good thing her ID-card was with her, otherwise wewould have never known," her mother said amid sobs. (Hindu 18.6.04)20 th JuneWoman accuses cop of brazen behaviour (1)New Delhi: A woman has lodged a complaint against the uncouth behaviour of a sub-inspector ofKotla Mubarakpur police station. She alleged that he threatened her when she went to requesthim to initiate action on her complaint. According to the woman, her sister has been missing for aweek now. She claimed to have lodged the complaint immediately. But when she went to inquireabout the case's progress three days ago, the sub-inspector allegedly misbehaved with her.He reportedly threatened and asked her to take the complaint back. On Friday, the woman visitedthe DCP (south), who ordered an inquiry under the supervision of the station house officer.On Saturday, at the behest of the SHO, a case of illegal confinement and threatening was registeredagainst the SI. He, however, continues to be in service and action has not been initiatedagainst him. (Times of India 20.6.04)24 th JuneTorture wasn’t condoned (1)WASHINGTON, JUNE 23: THE Bush administration on Tuesday released hundreds of pages ofinternal memos from the White House, Pentagon and Justice Department dating to early 2002that officials contend show that the government never approved the use of torture in the war on .;terrorism and Iraq. The release was an attempt by senior White House officials to set the recordstraight on what they believe is a misperception that senior administration officials sanctionedtorture. "There has been confusion," said Alberto Gonsalez, the White House counsel. He saidthe President never even saw the memos, which did not play into his decisions. The documentsshow that officials in Bush's administration began debating if they could use harsh interrogationtechniques on captured Al Qaeda members in 2002. Interrogators proposed using techniquesthat could rise to the level of torture — including threat of death—and military lawyers initiallyapproved the list. However, the administration did not approve most of the techniques. "I havenever ordered torture," Bush said. (Indian Express 24.6.04)Orissa boy says he was tortured by royal couple (1)Bhubaneswar, June 23: The crime branch team of the state police investigating into the allegedphysical torture of an eight year-old domestic help has found prima facie evidence that the boyPrashant Nahak had been subjected to intense torture by his employers, the royal family ofKhariar. The crime branch team led by district superintendent of police D.D. Rout in its interimreport has mentioned about the evidences of torture. The report, which was submitted to the CBheadquarters on Tuesday, has been prepared basing on the examination of several witnesses,the victim, doctors and medical documents. The boy, according to medical reports, has sustainedat least 15 injury marks on his body, of which two are fractures and two severe burn wounds. Theboy was once allegedly asked to squat on a burning heater that caused him severe bum injurieson his back. The royal couple of Khariar— Bhubaneswar Prasad Singhdeo and PushpalataSinghdeo—have also been accused of confining Nahak in their house without proper food.

According to police reports, the boy was brought to Khariar by Pushpalata Singhdeo from hernative village Sodaka in Ganjam district on August 8,2003 to work as domestic help. Instead oftaking proper care of the orphan, the queen allegedly subjected him to intense physical torture bybeating and throwing rice gruel on him. ( Asian Age 24.6.04)26 th JunePolicemen raped me for 6 hours: Orissa woman (1)Bhubaneswar, June 25: Five Orissa police personnel forced a woman to drink liquor andwatch pornographic films before three of them raped her one after another, the victim hasalleged. The shocking description of the rape was revealed after a police team traced the victimfrom Nayagarh district more than two weeks after the incident. The Cuttack police on Thursday,recorded the statement in which the victim alleged that three jawans had raped her. When sheapproached the Cantonment police station in Cuttack twice her case was not registered by theofficer-in-charge, she said before the investigating officers. Five Armed Police Reserve jawanswere arrested in this connection on Tuesday and were remanded to custody by the court followingrejection of their bail pleas. The victim, in her statement said, that she had come toCuttack on June 6 to meet her brother who works as a traffic constable in the city. Seeing herwaiting alone near the main bus stand, two policemen in uniforms approached her and offered tohelp her find her brother's house, she recounted. However, instead of searching for her brother'shouse, the two policemen, who were riding a motorcycle, took her to a guardroom of a bankwhere another three policemen were waiting. She was ordered to rest as the five policemenstarted drinking. After sometime, she too was forced to drink with them. She said the five thenforced her to watch a pornographic film. At around 9 pm she was attacked by three of them andthen was gangraped for six hours. (Asian Age 26.6.04)28 th JuneNGO accuses police officers of inaction (1)Bangalore, June 27: Sangama, an NGO has expressed its concern over the lack of action by thepolice in the harassment case of Kokila, a eunuch and has alleged that senior police officialswere trying to shield the accused policemen. Kokila, a hijra had alleged a few days ago that shewas raped by 10 rowdies. She also alleged that when she went to the Byappanhalli police stationto complain about the incident, she was tortured by inspector Ashwath Narayan, SI Krishnappa,constables Roshan Ali Khan and Ramakrishna. Elavarthi Manohar, programme coordinator ofSangama, in a press release, criticised the city police commissioner alleging that he was payingonly "lip service" to the complaint lodged by Kokila. The organisation claimed that the accused inthe harassment case were threatening key witnesses and were tampering with the evidence. Theorganisation demanded that the accused policemen be taken into custody to prevent them fromtampering with the evidence and threatening witnesses. The NGO also claimed the support ofvarious organisations from all across the country for the satyagraha launched by it four days agoto press for action against the accused. ( Asian Age 28.6.04)4 th JulyPunjab jail officials ‘brand’ inmate a thief (1)AMRITSAR I JULY 3: IN AN incident bringing back memories of the case in which Punjabpolicemen had tattooed the word "iebkatri" on the foreheads of two women pickpockets, someCentral Jail officials here allegedly branded the words ya chor hai (this is a thief)" on the back of aprisoner. While the incident happened on July 1, it came to light only yesterday When theprisoner, Rocky Paapa alias ikkar, appeared before Chief Judicial Magistrate Harpreet KaurRandhawa and showed her the wound. Rocky, who was sentenced for a theft on February 9,says trouble began when he complained of stomachache and was refused medicine. Next, heasked for rice but was given chapatis instead. It was then that Rocky, who had been sent to thechakki room a week earlier for picking up a fight with an inmate, began to protest loudly. "Jailguards dragged me out of my cell and beat me. Jail superintendent Capt S.P. Singh andAssistant Superintendent Raj Kumar whispered something to Havaldar Chakkar Gulbadan, whohandcuffed me, and then used a hot iron rod to write on my back," he says. IG (prisons) S.K.Dutta, who has asked Singh to file a report within 24 hours, said the jail authorities had nothing to

do with the branding. (Indian Express 4.7.04)Day after, another prisoner gets caste tattoo (1)JALANDHAR, JULY 3: A DAY after "yeh chor hai" was branded on the back of a jail inmate inAmritsar, a similar case was reported here, where the name of his caste, 'choorraa", was brandedon an undertrial. While Malkiat Singh alias Teettu has accused the Deputy Jail Superintendentand the jail doctor of Central Jail of branding the word on his back, jail officials claim the prisonerhas hurt himself to blackmail the authorities into giving him drugs. Teettu showed his wound tothe court and held Deputy Superintendent Satpal Singh and doctor Chander Shekhar responsiblewhen he was presented before Judge S.K. Garg in a case of attempt to murder today. Hiscounsel submitted an application, asking for a probe into the case. The court, besides issuing anotice to the state for July 12, ordered that Teettu be examined at the civil hospital, before he issent back to the jail. Teettu told mediapersons that his ordeal began when he demandedmedicine for a "disc problem" last night. "I was taken out of my chakki by the jail superintendentand the doctor. They said I belong to a low caste and so I would not be given any medicine. Theyalso thrashed and tortured me for about half-an-hour and branded this word on my back," hesaid. When contacted the Deputy Jail Superintendent said: "He is a notorious criminal and usedto take drugs. He was being given medicines, as prescribed by a psychiatrist, but he alwaysdemanded more medicines."(Indian Express 4.7.04)7 th JulyShe allegedly beat up Afghan woman, denied her treatment (1)NEW DELHI, JULY 6: FOLLOWING the allegations that an Afghan woman inmate was beatenbadly at Tihar's Jail 6, leading to her death, the jail authorities have suspended a matron, Sunita.It is alleged that the matron had beaten up the inmate named Zohra, then refused her the medicalattention. "The exact cause of death would be ascertained only after the postmortem which wouldbe conducted at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital tomorrow. Since there were allegations thatZohra died after being beaten up, we 'placed the matron under suspension," said Tiharspokesperson, Sunil Gupta. The staff at the jail has also been reshuffled. Gupta claimed that itwas unlikely that Zohra died because of the beating as has been alleged. The alleged incident, hesaid, took place around 10 days ago and Zohra died on Saturday. Zohra died at DDU. It has beenalleged that she had been beaten up by matron Sunita and was refused medical attention.However, Tihar officials said that she had complained of stomach ache on Saturday after whichshe was taken to DDU. (Indian Express 7.7.04)Man dies in custody, police term it suicide (1)NEW DELHI, JULY 6: A 35-year-old man died under mysterious circumstances in police custodyat the Subzi Mandi police station yesterday. Pramod, picked up by the police last evening, wasfound hanging inside the lock-up around 10 pm yesterday. The police said he committed suicide.The police claimed that Pramod, belonging to Sitapur district, UP, was found trying to hide inKamla Nehru Park. He was taken to Hindu Rao hospital. The medical report said that there is"smell of alcohol present," and that there were "no apparent injuries". He was put in the lock-up at9 pm. Around 9:30 pm, power supply went off. Around 10 pm, when Safdar Ali, SHO, SubziMandi, was on a round of the compound, he found Pramod hanging from the grill of the lock-upwith his shirt.He was rushed to Hindu Rao Hospital where he was declared dead. There were noexternal injury marks on the body, the police claimed. The ADM North is conducting an inquest.The police refused to say why Pramod was kept in custody and not let off. Meanwhile, a man whowas picked up by the North district police from Khekra area in Bhagpat district, Uttar Pradesh inconnection with the killing of an exporter in the Timarpur area was allegedly assaulted in custodyat the Inder Lok police post yesterday. Sanjay Jain was the person the exporter was going tomeet in Gopalpur when he was murdered. Jain was reportedly allowed to return to UP when thenews of his alleged torture in custody was leaked. Rajesh Khurana, DCP (North) could not becontacted despite repeated attempts. Other senior officers refused to comment. (Indian Express7.7.04)Agra women’s home a virtual hell-hole (1)

Agra, July 6: A JUDICIAL officer's inspection report has exposed the widespread atrocities andmalpractices prevalent at the state Women's Protection Home here. A driver and a policemanposted at the institution used to allegedly rape and victimise the women inmates. This wasrevealed after an inspection by additional district judge (ADJ) Mohammad Adil, who wascomplying with certain Supreme Court directives. The judge has now. recommended a CBIinquiry His report has been forwarded to the Supreme Court and the National Human Rights.Commission (NHRC). Meanwhile, the district administration on Tuesday recommended thesuspension of Rita Mehrotra, superintendent of the Women Protection Home, on the basis of thejudge's report. "The driver and the guilty policeman are also to be suspended," said NiteswarKumar, district magistrate, Agra. Sources said ADJ Adil visited the Protection Home on June 21.Over a dozen women inmates are housed in the institution. Nabbed for criminal offences —mainly those related to the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act — they are kept at the institutionfor rehabilitation purposes. The inmates complained to ADJ Adil about the policeman and thedriver. They alleged that the two of them used to get drunk and rape them. (Hindustan Times7.7.04)8 th JulyCustody death: Police team sent to fetch parents (1)NEW DELHI, JULY 7. The North Delhi police have sent a team to Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh tofetch the parents of Parmod, who allegedly committed suicide in the Subzi Mandi police stationlockup on Monday night. Meanwhile, Parmod's body has been preserved in the mortuary. Theautopsy would be conducted by a board of doctors after his parents arrive here. In a relateddevelopment, Constable Umesh Rai, who was posted on sentry duty to keep a vigil on the lockup,was suspended on Tuesday. The police said they had earlier informed the Sitapur police toconvey the news about Parmod's death to his family. He was found hanging from the hook abovethe grill gate of the lock-up around 10 p.m. The parents of the deceased are likely to arrive in theCapital by Thursday. On Monday evening, an assistant sub-inspector of Subzi Mandi police hadrounded up Parmod from a park in the area after he was found to be under the influence ofalcohol. After a medical examination, he was brought to Subzi Mandi police station and lodged inthe lockup around 9 p.m. Till 9-30 p.m., Parmod was seen alive. Around 10 p.m., the StationHouse Officer of the police station decided to go for the night patrolling. As he was taking a roundof the police station, he spotted Parmod hanging in the lock-up. (The Hindu 8.7.004)10 th JulyKashmiris protest schoolgirl’s torture (1)Srinagar, July 9: At least, 50 people were injured in clashes with the police in Kashmir's frontiertown of Handwara, 75 km northwest of here, on Friday. Dozens of others, including local humanrights and political activists, were arrested while protesting against the alleged police brutalities.The Handwara police had last week arrested a teenage girl, Hasina Akhtar, from neighbouringZachaldar area accusing her of being involved in the recent killing of a security force official. Thegirl was allegedly severely torched in custody and later admitted to a Srinagar hospital with"serious multiple injuries." Doctors attending on her said Hasina, a student of Class 10, wassuffering from lash wounds, broken-bones, and damaged tendons and muscles. Besides the localresidents and various separatist parties, the Congress has been demanding stern action againstthe area sub-district police officer, Muhammad Altaf Khan, holding him responsible for thedistressing incident. Mr Khan and his seniors in the police deny the charge, but admit Hasina wasdetained for questioning following the reports of her involvement in the killing of the trooper.On Friday, the students of the Handwara Degree College and a high secondary school took to thestreets to protest the "police brutality." (Asian Age 10.7.04)12 th JulyJawan 'assaults' boy, J-K village boils (1)SRINAGAR/HANDWARA, JULY 11: STRUGGLING to calm an angry north Kashmir where a girlwas tortured in police custody, the Mufti Sayeed government is grappling with a new problem: insouth Kashmir, there's public outrage over the sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy, allegedly by aRashtriya Rifles jawan. The boy, Arif Hussain Khan of Check Wangund village, has told police

that he was on his way to school in Doom when he was taken off a bus at the Nadoora camp of49 RR. Police quoted Arif as saying that he was taken by a jawan to an abandoned schoolbuilding near the camp and sodomised. Doom police SHO told Indian Express that an FIR hadbeen lodged and police are investigating the case. "We are waiting for the medical report. Thedoctor has examined him (Arif), the final opinion is awaited." The boy, meanwhile, is in a state ofshock and is refusing to meet anyone. Army's 15 Corps spokesman in Sri-nagar has called thecharge "baseless". He said: "Nothing of that sort happened. The doctor who examined him hasruled out any sexual abuse." But a village elder from Doom, among those protesting, claimed thedoctor was under pressure to hush up the matter. "The doctor belongs to our area. He is scaredof the Army. We have been appealing to the government to send a team of doctors from outsidethis area or shift the boy to Srinagar for a medical examination," he said. (Indian Express 12.7.04)13 th JulyJ&K girl's torture gets love & revenge twist (1)Handwara (Kashmir), July 12: The investigation by a team of top officials into what appearsto be a bizarre incident is still underway, but this north-western Kashmir town is rife withnumerous stories about the motive behind the arrest of a teenage girl by the police near here earlierthis month. Since there are numerous versions, it is very difficult to judge which of the storiesone hears here is true and which are invented. What is definite is that the way 16-year-old HasinaAkhter (some call her Hasina Aara) was treated in police custody cannot be justified under thelaw. Kashmiri society is outraged. "We have egg on our faces," forest minister GulamMohiuddin Sofi admitted before the town elders on Sunday. Mr Sofi, here to promise stemaction against the erring police officials, told an impulsive crowd that he would quit if sub-districtpolice officer Altaf Ahmed Khan and his junior, assistant sub-inspector Tanveer Ahmed, were notsacked within a week, the residents who heard him recalled. It was in the face of an increasingpublic outcry that the government ordered an inquiry. (Asian Age 13.7.04)16 th JulyPolice have no right to kill people (1)MUMBAl, JULY 15. Justice (retd.) Hosbet Suresh today said there was no law in the country thatstates that police can just kill people. He was releasing a report of the People's Tribunal titled"The Terror of POTA and other Security Legislation" based on hearings held in New Delhi onMarch 13 and 14. Referring to the incident last month where four persons were shot dead inAhmedabad, including a young girl from Mumbra, Ishrat Jahan, Mr. Suresh said, "The policecannot presume to be judges and say that people are terrorists and kill them. They have to firstinvestigate the case properly." Human rights activist, Teesta Setalvad, one of the conveners ofthe Tribunal, said the media was abdicating its responsibility by accepting reports dished out bythe police and intelligence services without asking enough questions. The father of one of thePOTA detenus in Mumbai narrated how his younger son, Sharif, had been arrested in the specialPOTA court this month as he was caught taking pictures with his mobile phone. Mr. Mulla's olderson, Aatif has been detained for alleged involvement in the Mumbai blasts. "For such a minoroffence, my son, Sharif, was jailed for nine days, and not granted bail till today. For three days hewas intensively interrogated by the Crime Branch, which gave him a clean chit. Then the policearrested him in a case of alleged rioting of last October. This 'riot' case only involved passing abottle of water to Aatif while he was being taken back into custody," said Mr. Mulla. (The Hindu16.7.04)17 th JulyCallous DGP: Raped girl of doubtful virtue (1)Bhopal, July 16: Judged by their public utterances, senior officials in the Madhya Pradesh policeand the state government have still to realise the gravity of the worsening law and order situationin the state. At least two DSPs have come under the public scanner. One, Vikas Pathak, son ofan equally controversial former DGP, is in the lock-up in Bhind for raping a 13-year-old girl in afarmhouse; the other, M.S. Nain, is under a cloud for allegedly killing a government servantcaught accepting bribes in police custody. Thanks to Pathak's father's influence and his contactsamong the city's powerful, the consequences of his felonious acts have scarcely bothered Vikas

Pathak. That even current police chief S.K. Das may already be under pressure to suppress theDSP's indiscretions was evident from his recent interaction with mediapersons. Deluged withqueries on the latest Pathak scandal, he was keen to change the subject. The rape of a 13-yearold,he observed, was insignificant when compared to the ravishment of three and seven-year-oldinfants. "Besides, you know this girl was of doubtful virtue," he said. Asked if men in uniformought to be ravishing child prostitutes rather than reforming them, director-general of police S.K.Das seemed stumped. No less worrying is the fact that most of these uniformed offendersinvariably manage to get off the hook with the help of their superiors only too keen to hush upmatters. And in the few cases the police has been serious about bringing them to justice, thepolitical class invariably comes to their rescue. (Asian Age 17.7.04)18 th JulyArmy orders inquiry but sees a pattern to protests (1)NEW DELHI, JULY 17. Even as the Army assured it would begin a court of inquiry within 10 daysagainst Assam Rifles personnel For their role in the death of a Manipuri woman last Sunday,officials here said the protests peaked because the woman died around the time the ArmedForce's Special Powers Act (AF-SPA) was due for extension. The senior Army officers said therewas a "pattern to the protests" whenever the application of the AFSPA came up for periodicrenewal. They also claimed that the middle-aged women who stripped in front of the Assam Riflescomplex in Imphal came from "one village" in an area that had been "indoctrinated heavily" bymilitants of the underground People's Liberation Army (PLA), one of the largest among the 27militant groups operating in Manipur. The Army is still sticking to its version about the death of 30-year-old Manorama Devi — she was shot dead after she did not heed a warning to stop whilefleeing from Army custody. Officials said the intelligence reports had proved that she was a selfstyledcorporal in the PLA and was "close to" "Captain" Shyam of the same outfit. But humanrights activists who regularly visit Manipur said the nude demonstration was a clear signal that itwas a rape case. They did not agree with the Army's claims of having recovered a grenade andradio set as proof of Manorama Devi being involved with terrorist groups but agreed that the cruxof the problem was the AFSPA. (The Hindu 18.7.04)24 th JulyNew report has more evidence of prisoner abuse (1)WASHINGTON, JULY 23. Thirty-nine prisoners have died in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistansince the fall of 2001 and there have been 94 cases of proven or suspected abuse, the Army saidin a new report, giving a more precise and higher estimate of the scale of the abuse. The ArmyInspector General's report also gives new details about the alleged abuses, including evidencethat troops conspired to make Iraqi prisoners jump off a bridge, that one interrogator hit a prisoneron the head during questioning and that a sergeant told subordinates to "rough up" detenus. Still,the Army report concludes there were no systemic problems that caused or contributed to theabuses. (The Hindu 24.7.04)25 th JulyAnother rape case against cop (1)NEW DELHI, JULY 24. A 22-year-old woman was allegedly criminally assaulted by a Delhi policeconstable at Bawana in North-West Delhi on Tuesday night. The accused has been arrested.According to the police, the unmarried woman had come to Delhi to see one of her relatives. Lateon Tuesday night, she hired an autorickshaw, but could not locate the house. She thenapproached a man, who later turned out to be Constable Sandeep Kumar, posted with the fourthbattalion of the Delhi Armed Police, and asked him for help. Sandeep offered to help. But insteadof taking her to the relative's house, he took her to a forest area in Bawana and allegedlycriminally assaulted her. He then abandoned the woman and fled from the spot. On Wednesday,the woman managed to reach Bawana police station and lodged a complaint. A medicalexamination at Babu Jagjiwan Ram Hospital confirmed the assault. (The Hindu 25.7.04)29 th JulyRapist cops make it worse (1)

New Delhi, July 28: IN 90 per cent of rape cases, the rapist is known to the victim. And mostrapes take place behind closed doors. All Delhi Police do when a rape story unfurls in the city, isreel off these nuggets of information, as if to defend themselves from charges of inaction.Recent incidents of rape suggest that the Capital's streets are becoming increasinglyunsafe for women and rapists are getting bolder. The truth is, many a time, Delhi Police personnelhave themselves raped women they picked up from streets. On 'the night of July 15, sixmen accosted a couple walking near the Paras Cinema in Nehru Place. They posed as men fromDelhi Police, demanded money from a couple for indulging in prostitution, abducted the 23 yearold-womanand took her to a Ghaziabad house where they raped her. Two of the rapists wereidentified as Delhi Police constables and later dismissed. Last week, a woman from outside Delhihad stopped to ask directions from a man in uniform in Bawana. The cops instead took her to anearby jungle and raped her. He, too, has been dismissed. In mid-June, a 27-year-old mentallychallengedwoman was abducted from near the Batra Hospital, taken to the Shahbad Mohammadpurjungle, raped and left there. The woman could not remember the number of the vehicleand was later sent to a mental asylum for treatment. (Hindustan Times 29.7.04)Tourist Police, after Griggs has gone (1)New Delhi, July 28: IT TOOK the gruesome murder of an innocent Australian tourist — DawnEmilie Griggs — sometime ago for the Delhi Police to set up a task force dedicated to protectingforeign tourists in Delhi. On Wednesday, it set up force called "tourist police" to preventharassment to tourists by touts, help them get transport and lodging at appropriate rates and aguide who is not a murderer in disguise. As per the order passed on Wednesday, 10 spots havebeen identified, where a vehicles (Toyota Qualis) marked "Tourist Police" will be stationed. Thepolice will also have a special helpline number for tourists in distress. A "young, smart andarticulate" sub-inspector will head each team, supported by two head constables, one of them awoman and a driver. Initially, the SI will wear the Traffic Police uniform and the rest will be inkhaki with a blue arm band, with "Tourist Police" written in "golden letters" on it. (The HindustanTimes 29.7.04)30 th JulyWhen enforcers turn law-breakers (1)New Delhi, July 29: EARLIER THIS week, the Delhi Police dismissed a constable who had beencharged with raping a 22-year-old woman. Last week, four more policemen had been sacked —two of who allegedly raped a 23-year-old woman in South Delhi. Over the last six months, 58Delhi Police cops have been arrested on charges of corruption, rape, cheating, theft, murder andattempt to murder. Traffic policemen have been caught taking bribes. A few days back, four werecaught taking bribes from motorists at Vijay Chowk. Last Tuesday, a woman, who had come fromoutside Delhi, was on her way to a relative's house in Bawana. She asked a cop to show her theway. Constable Sandeep Kumar instead took her to a jungle and raped her. He is in judicialcustody and dismissed. Even senior officers like ACPs have been implicated. 30 constables andhead constables have been arrested on bribery charges. An ACP, two inspectors and four sub-inspectorshave been arrested. ACP L.S. Brar forged documents of a South Delhi property. Thecase was kept in cold storage for over two years and taken up after a change at the helm thisyear. In fact, our police force has managed to earn bad press out of even the most sensationalcase of the year, the All India Pre-Medical Test paper leak. CBI arrested the case's investigatingofficer on charges of taking bribes. (Hindustan Times 30.7.04)Manipur on the boil as mob violence escalates (1)Guwahati, July 29: PROTESTS IN Manipur over the alleged custodial death of ThangjamManorama Devi turned ugly on Thursday as thousands of agitators clashed with security forceswhile trying to bring out a rally Scores of people on either side had to be hospitalised. The turn ofevents saw the apex body of 32 organisations, leading the fortnight-long agitation, set a 24-hourdeadline for the UPA regime to withdraw the "draconian" Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,failing which the protesters threatened to intensify the stir. The day of mass protests also sawthree former CMs — W Nimapacha Singh of the Manipur National Conference, R.K. DorendraSingh of the BJP and Radha Binod Koijam — turning the heat on the Congress-led coalition led

y O. Ibobi Singh. The three were among 16 senior politicians, including former deputy CM L.Chandramani Singh, who were arrested as they attempted to storm the CM's office. They werelater released. According to officials, the police and Rapid Action Force personnel fired rubberbullets and teargas shells when the rallyists tried to enter silence zones and force their waythrough routes other than those specified by the administration. (Hindustan Times 30.7.04)1 ST Aug.New Jail stuff trained on rights, HIV (1)New Delhi, July 31: Till about a month back, Sangeeta Chauhan looked at criminals with disdain,but the induction training at the Tihar Central Jail has given this young assistant superintendent amore "humane" outlook and introduced her to the world of human rights just before stalling acareer. She is not alone. All 120 trained in the induction programme carried out over a period ofone month have been introduced to the world of policing and prison management in the purviewof human rights. The training programme concluded on Friday. Introduction to human rights aspart of the induction programme, say prison authorities, is the need of the hour. It is important forthe new entrants in the staff cadres to understand the prisoner's rights as a human '.. being, theofficials said. "It has been seen that the prison officials are so accustomed to the power of thestick that they are unable to establish a rapport with the prisoners as human beings. This leads toproblems in controlling prisoners when there are riots inside the jail or other mishappenings," anofficial said. Hence, human rights was included in the induction programme for the first time. Andthe humane touch has certainly had an effect on the minds of these young entrants. (Asian Age1.8.04)4 TH AugProposal to set up panel to monitor Armed Forces powers abuse (1)IMPHAL, NEW DELHI, AUGUST 3: AWARE that any hasty move to strip the armed forces ofspecial powers in Manipur would only embolden the insurgents, the Centre today began workingon a new set of measures to restore civil order in the state. As a first step, Governor ArvindDave—before taking charge of Manipur in June 2003, he had served in Arunachal Pradesh —was denied an extension at the end of his five year term and former civil aviation secretaryS. S Sidhu brought in. Since Home Ministry had reservations on the Manipuri chorus for lifting theArmed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the Government worked on an alternate plan: a sevenmembercommittee would be sent to the state to assess the situation and take a fresh look onwhether the Act was really needed there. Part of the Manipur package could also be setting up amonitoring panel that would address public grievences on the alleged misuse of the Act. (IndianExpress 4.8.04)5 th AugWhen security forces get licence to kill (1)Guwahati, August 4: PARLIAMENT HAD taken only seven hours in 1958 to enact the ArmedForces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). It has now become the most hated piece of legislation inthe northeast and elsewhere. The AFSPA has been in force intermittently in the Northeast sinceits inception. Except for Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram (withdrawn in the 1990s), itis currently in force in the whole of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur and in 22 police stations areasin Tripura. The Act was subsequently extended to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and AndhraPradesh. The anger in Manipur stems from the fact that the AFSPA equips soldiers with- widerangingpowers. Under the Act, a soldier can raid premises without any warrant and also fire upona person "if he is of the opinion that it is necessary to do so for maintenance of public order aftergiving such due warning as he may consider necessary". Clause VI of the Act also provides legalimmunity to the soldier. It says: "No persecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted,except with the previous sanction of the Central government, against any person in respect ofanything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act."Have such provisions helped in curbing insurgency in the Northeast? According to YambemLaba, former chairman of the Manipur Human Rights Commission, misuse of the AFSPA bysecurity forces has rather added fuel to the militancy fire. (Hindustan Times 5.8.04)

Centre in no hurry to compromise on Manipur (1)NEW DELHI, AUG. 4. The intensity and speed with which the political movement in Manipuragainst the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has erupted has left the Manmohan SinghGovernment floundering for a response. Senior Ministers acknowledge the situation in Manipur isgrim, with large demonstrations and violent protests against the conduct of the armed forcestaking place nearly everyday. There is a perception that something has to be done quickly toassuage sentiments there and improve the human rights situation. But at the same time, the UFAGovernment is under pressure from within and without to avoid taking any step that might appearto be a concession to "extremism". "The Centre has to be very firm regardless of publicpressure," highly-placed sources told The Hindu on Wednesday. "There is no way that we cangive in to the demand that the AFSPA be repealed. Because if we do, there are bound to besimilar demands from elsewhere." (The Hindu 5.8.04)Warsaw act: Indian hostage’s fingers cut off (1)New Delhi, August 4: EVEN AS the hostage crisis in Iraq gets all the attention, there's anothercrisis brewing—in Poland. Kidnappers of Harish Hitange, an Indian executive working in Warsaw,are demanding a ransom of two million euros. And just to show they mean business, they havechopped off three of Hitange's fingers. The fingers were left in bottles in parts of Warsaw on threedifferent days. An employee of a local Indian textile firm, Hitange was abducted on April 20. Theabductors —who had reportedly posed as police officers belonging to the anti-narcotics division— first called his employers and played a recorded message saying Hitange was in trouble. A fewdays later they sent an SMS stating their ransom. Hitange, who hails from Maharashtra, had goneto Poland eight years ago and was living with his wife. His parents and brothers live in Nasik. The37-year-old was on his way to office when he was abducted. The kidnapping has shocked the800-strong Indian community in Poland. "We are living in fear following Harish's abduction," J.J.Singh, president of the Indian Association in Warsaw, told HT. "We feel that the government ofIndia should raise the issue strongly with the Polish government." (Hindustan Times 5.8.04)6 th AugBihar hungry get bullets (1)Patna/Ahmedabad, Aug. 5: The police fired at a stone-throwing crowd of people demanding foodand medicine near Patna late on Wednesday night as large parts of the country braced for moremonsoon rains, officials said on Thursday. A man died and two women were wounded in thepolice firing late on Wednesday on a 5,000-strong crowd, which gathered outside a governmentoffice near Patna, expecting food to be distributed to flood victims. "When the crowd realised thatno relief was to be distributed, they attacked the office and stoned the police station," said Biharchief secretary K.A.H. Subramanian. The rains have, meanwhile, since moved westwards and tothe north bringing relief to farmers hit by drought but disaster to others caught in the deluge.Officials in the worst-affected parts of Gujarat said they were stocking up food, water and medicinesin relief camps housed in schools and government buildings where some 70,000 peoplehad taken refuge. Several rivers in the region flowed above danger levels. Weather officialsoffered little respite, forecasting moderate to heavy rainfall in the area over the next 48 hours.(Asian Age 6.8.04)Manipur Uprising: Anger spreads beyond Imphal (1)Imphal: Work in many government offices, particularly the new Secretariat, was affected as theJoint Administrative Council (JAC) of All Manipur Government Employees Organisation (AMGEO)and All Manipur Trade Union Council (AM-TUC) called for a mass casual leave in protest againstthe killing of Manorama Devi and pastor Jamk-holet Khongshai by Assam Rifles troops. Curfewwas imposed from 4 pm to 6 pm, and many schools and colleges in the Imphal region continuedto remain closed. As mounting anger swept through the town and Chief Minister Okram IbobiSingh returned to Manipur after talks with officials in New Delhi, a group of slogan-shoutingstudents tried to storm the heavily-guarded Chief Ministers official home. They were arrested bypolice near the Imphal Police headquarters. There were protests beyond Imphal too. Hundreds ofstudents courted arrest in different parts of Imphal, Thoubal and Bishenpur districts. Students arenow in the forefront of the agitation in the last few days with three students bodies - All Manipur

Students Union, Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur and Manipuri Students Federation -throwing in their lot with womens groups who are spearheading the agitation. (Times of India6.8.04)8 th AugPrisoners end stir in Bihar (1)GOPALGANJ (BIHAR), AUG. 7. Over 675 prisoners, who had virtually taken charge of the jailhere, protesting against the death of an undertrial, Jalaluddin, this morning, allowed the authoritiesto resume charge of the prison. The inmates' demands, including regular visits by doctors,were met by the authorities. The Jail Minister, Raghvendra Prasad Singh, and the Jail Superintendent,S. Priyadarshi, said that the situation was normal and the securitymen, who weredriven out by the inmates, had regained control of the jail. Security has been tightened around thejail premises, Mr. Priyadarshi said. The inmates allowed the authorities to enter the jail followingan hour-long negotiation during which the authorities agreed to ensure the regular visits bydoctors for check-ups, besides making available adequate space for visitors. ((The Hindu 8.8.04)10 th AugCentre willing to pull out Assam Rifles (1)New Delhi, Aug 9: Home minister" Shivijaj' Patil' 'on Monday said that the Centre ' could pullAssam Rifles out of Manipur if that restored peace to the state. The remark to a televisionchannel came on a day when the Manipur situation — showing no sign of any improvement —figured in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. But the Centre still appears in nomood to give in to demands to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Asked by NDTVabout the possibility of withdrawing Assam Rifles, Mr Patil said: "If this is necessary to restorepeace in the area, and if this is seen as a pressing demand, then we are ready to respect thefeelings of the people of Manipur and withdraw Assam Rifles from the state. (Asian Age 10.8.04)11 th AugCommission warns Assam Rifles men (1)IMPHAL, AUG. 10. The Manmohan Singh Government may insist that the Army is "fully cooperating"with investigations into last month's custodial killing of Manorama Devi but the Assam Riflesmen involved are refusing to testify before the official Commission probing the incident.After the Commanding Officer of 17 Assam Rifles, Colonel Jagmohan Singh, and four soldiersknown to be present during Manorama's arrest failed to jyapear before the Commission today,the third day running, Justice C. Upendra, who is heading the inquiry, issued a sternly-wordedsummons warning each soldier that "if you fail without [a) just excuse, neglect or refuse to appearbefore the Commission [on Wednesday], coercive measures will be taken to compel yourappearance." The failure of the Assam Rifles men to depose has underlined a curious, almostKafkaesque, paradox about the situation in Manipur. In a submission, which Mr. Justice Upendrahad rejected in early August, the Assam Rifles had said that it was not safe for its soldiers tocome and testify in an open court-because of the threat posed by insurgents. (Hindu 11.8.04)12 th AugProbe ordered into police high-handedness (1)CHANDIGARH, AUG 11. The Punjab Governor and Administrator of Union Territory ofChandigarh, O.P. Verma, has ordered an enquiry into the beating of a young man and his parentsby the Chandigarh Police on Tuesday. Taking a serious note of the incident, Justice Verma hasasked the Inspector General of Police, Rajesh Kumar, to enquire into the incident and submit thereport at the earliest. He regretted that such repeated incidents and public display of might by thepolice was a blot on the functioning of a disciplined force. He said the Chandigarh Police insteadof chasing and beating the alleged traffic violator should have handled the traffic violationprofessionally. It may be recalled that residents of Sector 20 had blocked traffic and indulged instone throwing against the police to protest against the 'beating' of Amit Suri and his parents yesterdayafternoon. (The Hindu 12.8.04)Under fire, Assam Rifles unit shifts house (1)

IMPHAL, NEW DELHI, AUGUST 11: ONE day after New Delhi was talking in two tongues overtroop presence in Manipur, the Army and the Ministry of Defence—in the first of a series of"confidence-building" measures—began moving the 17 Battalion of the Assam Rifles out of itstraditional home, the Kangla Fort. The battalion has shifted to Keithel-mambi, 17 km from here,where the state government had provided it land several years ago. Personnel of the 17 Bn ofAssam Rifles had raided the house of local resident Manorama Devi on July 11, arrested her andthen left her bullet-riddled body—she was shot in the vagina—which led to the present flare-up.The Assam Rifles claimed she was a "hardcore insurgent and an explosives expert," and that shewas shot while trying to escape. Meanwhile, S C Srivastava, BSF Inspector General in Shillong,is arriving here today to assess the situation and prepare for counter-insurgency operations inparts of Imphal which the Assam Rifles has vacated. (Indian Express 12.8.04)13 th AugNHRC must probe deaths in custody, rights body (1)Bangalore, Aug. 12: The South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring, an NGOhas appealed to the National Human Rights Commission to conduct a thorough investigation intothe increasing trend of custodial deaths all over Karnataka. A press release by Sichrem statedthat a thorough investigation in the prisons of the state has become necessary as of late,Judicial deaths have "(assumed alarming proportions and these deaths have also raised seriousquestions about the credibility of the functioning of the police department in the state. In the wakeof the growing number of judicial deaths, the NGO has urged the state government to establish astate human rights commission to check human rights violations in the state. It has also soughtthe appointment of a board of visitors to the Central prison in Bangalore. A survey conducted bySichrem in the Karnataka, .claims that atleast one undertrial dies every month as a result of theinadequate medical attention, negligence and torture by the police department. (Asian Age13.8.04)Only woman police to frisk females: Court to Delhi police (1)New Delhi, Aug. 12: In a city where protectors are turning predators, the police commissioner hasbeen directed to ensure that his men do not misuse the uniform for carrying out the mandatorysearches on women detenues. Upholding the guidelines already laid down by the Delhi highcourt, a metropolitan magistrate has yet again reminded the police force that searches on femaleaccused are to be carried out only by women police personnel. Not allowing the Delhi police todefend itself on the "non-availability of a policewoman when such a search was called for," thecourt has sought assistance from the chief of the 60,000-strong police force to not allow violationof these orders. This has come at a time when few of its men were found sleeping over the ordersof high court, turning a blind eye and allowing searches of woman accused by its men. While thecourt was not inclined to let off the erring policemen of the South district, it eventually decided tospare him after the South DCP came in person and offered an apology for the wrong doings ofhis subordinates. Metropolitan magistrate Nivedita Anil Sharma, while disposing of four cases,ruled: "...there was no new directions, but the police was reminded to follow and implement theexisting provisions of law in spirit. (Asian Age 13.8.04)16 th AugTribal youth dies in custody father alleges police torture (1)RAIPUR, AUGUST 15: THE death of a tribal youth, held for petty theft, in custody has brought thepolice under fire as the victim's family allege he was tortured and killed. The state governmentordered a magisterial probe yesterday and shifted the station house officer following a gherao bythe villagers. Rajkumar Druv, the 26-year-old, was suspected of stealing 25 litres of diesel,gutkapouches and biscuits at Bhalesur village. He died on Friday night at the police station, 90 km fromRaipur. Police say Druv "hanged" himself inside a toilet but villagers suspect foul play. Thegovernment ordered a probe after villagers gheraoed the police station but they aren't satisfied."The police is lying. My son was murdered," says Jagtu Ram, Druv's father. (Indian Express16.8.04)17 th Aug

Manipur stir intensifies as student leader dies (1)IMPHAL, AUG. 16. Manipur was plunged into fresh turmoil today when a student leader who setfire to himself on Sunday died of burns, even as the State Government cracked down on theagitation for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act by arresting eight womenleaders. Security and police posts were put on maximum alert as news of the death of PebamChitaranjan (28), adviser to the Manipur Students Federation, spread sparking tension.Chitaranjan, who died of 90 per cent burns, alleged in a letter purportedly written by him that thepeople of Manipur were living under "colonial rule". In the letter, written on Friday and released tothe local press by some of his friends today, he claimed that neither the State Government northe Centre was bothered to protect human rights in the State. He had said that he was taking hislife to show to the world that "human rights violations" were being committed in the name ofprotecting democracy in the State and prayed to his parents, family and friends to pardon him.The eight women leaders who were arrested refused to be released on personal bond evenas the first phase of the boycott of 'India-made' goods — soft drinks and mineral water — waslaunched by the 32 organisations spearheading the stir. Protesting against the death ofChitaranjan, the organisations called a lightning 'Manipur bandh', which would continue till thecremation of his body, after a post-mortem expected to be done tomorrow. (The Hindu 17.8.04)Family alleges police beating killed son (1)New Delhi, Aug. 16: The family of a 22-year-old who died in the RML Hospital on Sunday hasalleged that the youth succumbed to police beating after he was picked up by the police sometime after August 9. Ranjan, 24, a resident of Nai Basti in Paharganj told The Asian Age that hisbrother Deepak died after being beaten up by two police officials of the Nabi Karim police station.According to Rajan, Deepak went missing on August 10 and his family lodged a complaint withthe police over which no action was taken. Finally on August 13, they were told that Deepak waslying in the RML hospital. "When we reached the hospital, Deepak was in an unconscious state.We were told that he was shifted from the LHMC Hospital. Before he died on August 15, Deepaktold me that head constable Suresh and constable Ravinder from the Nabi Karim police stationbeat him up and then took him to LHMC hospital," Ranjan said. (Asian Age 17.8.04)22 nd AugForeign nationals languish in jails for years (1)Kolkata, Aug. 21: Though India does not lose an opportunity to cry itself hoarse on the issue of itscitizens languishing in foreign prisons, a study has revealed that people belonging to differentnationalities wasting in Indian jails remain behind bars for long periods in the absence of properlegal aid. Take the case of Maqbul, a 25-year-old Bangladeshi fishermen, languishing in theTamluk sub-jail in Medinipur even two years after his release order was issued. All his associateswas sent back to their native villages but as the citizenship document of Maqbul revealed an errorin the spelling of his name, he was left to rot in the jail. A study reveals that most of theforeign prisoners in India and its neighbouring countries are suffering due to lack of access tolegal aid. Chairman of Legal Aid Services, West Bengal, justice D.K. Basu said that in mostcases, foreign citizens imprisoned belong to the lower income group and do not have the financialresources and moral support to seek legal help. Moreover, it becomes hard for them to seek legalsupport in a foi eign land even if they can afford it. The issue has also drawn the attention of oforganisations like the LASWEB. The Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust organised adiscussion — Foreign Prisoners and Access to Justice, in Dhaka in August 2004, which wasattended by delegates from most of the SAARC countries. (Asian Age 22.8.04)25 th AugCourt takes up case of insulin-starved custody death (1)New Delhi, Aug. 24: The Delhi high court on Tuesday issued notices to the Delhi government andthe Delhi police on a petition which alleged that an undertrial prisoner died while he was in judicialcustody due to lack of insulin injections in the Tihar Jail three years ago. Seeking explanationsfrom both the government and the police, Justice R.C. Chopra issued the notices after perusingthe petition which alleged that accused Zafar Khan died due to non-supply of insulin injections fortwo days while he was in custody. The matter has now been fixed for further hearing on

November 19. The petition filed by Zahar Khan's brother An war Khan Gauri brought to thecourt's notice a report of June this year, which confirmed that the death of Khan was due to nonsupplyof insulin injections for two days while he was in custody. In view of the report, theearlier writ filed by Mr Gauri seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or by thecrime branch of the Delhi police into the alleged custodial death of the accused should now beheard on the merits of the case, he pleaded in his new petition. (Asian Age 25.8.04)26 TH AugCustodial deaths: UP leads offenders pack (1)New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states as far as custodial deaths are concerned, says areport of the National Human Rights Commission. The state witnessed 217 custodial deaths —18in police custody and 199 in judicial custody — during 2003-04. The figure from April 1 to July 31this year is 67 — two in police custody and 65 in judicial custody. Countrywide, there were 1,462custodial deaths during 2003-04. The figure for the April 1-July 31 period this year is already 480,the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. According to the list tabled in response to aquestion by Jamuna Devi Barupal and T Subbarami Reddy, 25 persons died in Delhi during2003-04, 22 of them in judicial custody. Sixteen deaths have taken place during the current year.Troubled Jammu and Kashmir, where the security forces have been accused of human rightsviolations, reported not a single case of death either in police or judicial custody. (Times of India26.8.04)1 ST Sept.Angry Adivasis get police stick (3)RAIPUR, AUGUST 31 : MORE than 500 Adivasis today set police vehicles on fire and tried togherao a police station over the death of a youth in custody earlier this month. Police lathichargedthe mob and dispersed them, allegedly entering their homes to beat them up. Police denied thecharge, saying lathicharge was ordered to save their colleagues trapped inside. They weredemanding that a criminal case be registered against the policemen allegedly involved in thedeath of 26-year-old Rajkumar Druv. Trouble began at Suhela village, 50 km from here, aroundafternoon when the Adivasis marched to gherao the police station. While policemen fended themoff, the crowd turned violent and set fire to vehicles in the premises. Some even attacked theSDM and a few officers leading to the lathicharge. DGP O.E Rathore denied reports of firing onthe crowd and said lathicharge had become "unavoidable" to save policemen trapped inside thepolice station. "The irate mob could have set the police station on fire," he said. Druv's parentshave been alleging that he was tortured to death in custody while the police insist he committedsuicide. The Chhattisgarh HC, on a PIL, had ordered another post mortem and given the stategovernment 15 days to get the magisterial inquiry completed. (Indian Express, 1-9-2004)4 TH September36 hurt as police, lawyers clash in UP - (1)Lucknow: A minor altercation between a former president of the Oudh Bar Association and a subinspectornear Parivartan Chowk here on Friday turned violent, leaving 24 lawyers and 12policemen injured. The seriously injured included OBA president Ashok Nigam, assaulted bypolicemen when he reached the spot to pacify lawyers. Nigam sustained serious injuries in headand fractured his arm. Hazratganj circle officer Rakesh Jolly's hand was also broken. The threekm-longstretch between the district court at Wazirganj and the Chhanga Mal Crossing inHazratganj remained virtually under siege for well over five hours. About a dozen private vehicleswere damaged. Later a lawyers' delegation met CM Mulayam Singh Yadav and demanded actionagainst policemen. Yadav ordered a judicial probe into the incident by a retired Supreme Courtjudge. He also ordered suspension of the SI who allegedly misbehaved with former OBApresident L P Mishra. However, this did not pacify the agitated lawyers who held some policepersonnel hostage at the civil court transit lock-up. As stone pelting continued outside thepremises of the high court, a large number of police personnel were deployed. The trouble startedat 10:15 am when Mishra's carwas hit by a truck being driven by an ex-serviceman nearParivartan Chowk. The two had a heated argument in the middle of the road which caused atraffic jam during the office hours. Stadium police out-post in-charge SI Arun Kumar Dwivedi

intervened. (Times of India, 4-9-2004)9TH SeptemberBoy stripped, thrashed by cop (1)NEW DELHI, SEPT. 8. A 12-year-old boy was allegedly stripped and beaten by a jawan of theRailway Protection Force (RPF) at Nizamuddin railway station on September 4. A case has beenregistered at Nizamuddin railway police station in this connection. According to the police, thecase was registered on Tuesday following complaint from a non-government organisation,Butterflies, which works for street children. As per the complaint, Sabir, son of Abdul, a ragpickerwas loitering around Nizamuddin railway station on the night of September 4. When he wasstanding on platform No. 4, a RPF constable, nicknamed "Cobra", picked him up. He took Sabirto a room near the parcel office and forced him to strip. He then beat him up badly, threw hisclothes on railway track nearby and left the place. Sabir, who used to live at the Bhogal centre ofButterflies, reached the centre the next morning, which was a Sunday, and reported thematter to one Alam.However, the person in charge was on leave and hence the incident could notbe brought to the notice of the authorities concerned. (Hindu 9.9.04)10 TH SeptemberMystery murder: Why did RPF kill youth?New Delhi: A 20-year-old man was shot dead by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel onthe night of August 20 at Keshavpuram railway crossing in northwest Delhi. His fault: he and hisfriend were trying to steal a sack of wheat from a passenger train. The RPF then claimed that theman, Ghanshyam had been shot dead in an encounter. According to RPF, he was killed becausehe attacked the head constable, Surender Singh. A police inquiry into the incident has, however,revealed that the two men were completely unarmed. How they attacked the two heavily armedpersonnel is not known. According to the autopsy report, the victim was shot not just on his back,but also from a close range. The victim's friend apparently managed to flee from the spot. WhenGhanshyam was hit by the bullet, the two RPF staff did not even bother to rush him to thehospital. According to the DD (daily diary) entry (number 6A) in the Keshavpuram police stationon August 21, the victim was brought to the hospital at 1.05 pm where he was immediately declaredbrought dead. This was more than 12 hours after he had been shot. The conduct of thelocal police has also left a lot to be desired. The two staff have been allowed to go scot-free asthe police are yet to register a case against them. "We initially wanted to book them under section304 A which is culpable homicide not amounting to murder. (Times of India 10.9.04)12 TH SeptemberA tale of TN cop and con lust 91)Chennai: MANY TAMIL Nadu policemen are in the dock, facing charges by a 'businesswoman'who alleges that at least 30 men in uniform exploited her sexually and cheated her as well.The High Court, on Saturday, ordered a CBI probe into A Jayalakshmi's complaint against 21policemen of various ranks who allegedly sexually exploited her. The Division Bench of Justice NV Balasubramanian and Justice T V Masilamani in Madurai has ordered that a CBI officer, noless than a Deputy Director, investigate the case. The affected cops are, however, allegingshades of grey in the Jayalakshmi affair. They say that, far from being exploited, Jayalakshmi is amanipulative woman who made money through temporary liaisons with constables, Inspectorsand Deputy Superintendents of Police. According to them, her trysts with the police becamepublic in 1993 when her husband got a divorce, citing her amorous relationships with policemen.Jayalakshmi then left their two children with her parents and shifted residence from Theni, asouthern town where she lived with her husband, to Tirunelveli. Here she launched a sales careerthrough a "multi-level marketing network". The police say that her promoters were prominentpeople, including some police officers. Jayalakshmi also entered into relationships with a coupleof them to overcome her financial difficulties. (Pioneer 12.9.04)Police firing victim gets compensation at last (1)NEW DELHI, SEPT. 11. The Uttar Pradesh Government, acting on the directive of the NationalHuman Rights Commission (NHRC), has paid Rs. 5 lakhs as "immediate interim relief to Usha

Kiran Vajpayee, a victim of police firing. Taking a serious view of the "unprovoked police firing" onthe woman, the Commission had issued notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General ofPolice, Uttar Pradesh. Ms. Vajpayee, while on a pulse polio programme duty on October 10, 2000was fired upon by policemen of the Dakor police station, which subsequently caused amputationof One of her legs. It was also stated that a charge-sheet against the delinquent police officialshad been filed in the court. The Commission had considered it a fit case for grant of immediateinterim relief and issued a show cause notice to the State Government. Since the Government didnot reply, the Commission, on May 13, 2002 observed that the Government had no cause toshow against the award of immediate interim relief. It also observed that the victim was nearly 37years of age at the time of the incident and as a result of the amputation, she had to contend witha permanent disability for life. Also significant was the circumstance in which the victim was madeto flee to save herself from the clutches of the delinquent police servant. (The hindu 12.9.04)Rape inside barracks rocks Kolkata (1)Kolkata, Sept. 11: A 24-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a constable of the state policeinside the police barracks at Haroa in North 24 Parganas on Friday. Barely a month ago onAugust 18, another woman was allegedly raped by an RPF constable in front of her husband andchild . in a deserted train compartment. Sources said that the victim identified as Reshma Khatun(name changed), had gone to attend a qawwali programme at the shrine of Syed Abbas AliRahmatulla pir near the ferry ghat in Haroa with her minor son. At around 2 am when the functionwas on in full swing constable Soumitra Chowdhury in a half pant and T-Shirt asked her to comewith him to the police station. Armed with a service revolver the constable said that she wassummoned by the thanar barababu. When the woman declined, he turned aggressive and statedthat she did not have any option. She was then taken to .the barrack and allegedly raped. Oncoming out, the victim reported the incident to local residents. An irate mob staged a protestoutside the police station demanding immediate arrest of the culprit. Later, they were joined byCPI(M) supporters led by local leader Asim Chatterjee who staged a peaceful protest. (Asian Age12.9.04)14 TH SeptemberArmy not for withdrawal of Special Powers Act (1)NEW DELHI, SEPT. 13. The Chief Of the Army Staff, N.C. Vij, today . told the Union HomeMinister, Shivraj Patil, that counter-insurgency operations in Manipur would be compromised ifthe Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was further diluted or withdrawn. This came even as theCentre indicated its willingness to talk with the agitators in the troubled State. In a presentation toMr. Patil here, Gen. Vij said the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Manipur could give rise to similardemands from other States in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir. He was articulating thedominant view in the security establishment about the need to have the AFSPA for fightinginsurgency. The AFSPA gave wide-ranging powers to the Army and enabled it to remain"aggressive" in combating militancy. (The Hindu 14.9.04)16 th SeptemberBihar cops charged with rape in custody (1)PATNA, SEPTEMBER 15.: A THIRTY FTVE-YEAR-OLD widow has filed a police complaintalleging she was raped by policemen on September 9 when they had arrested her on the chargesof murdering her ex-paramour. In her complaint, the woman said she was raped by twoconstables in a lock-up in Patna. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered in the case. The womansaid she was picked up by police for a murder and kept in the lock-up of Dhalpura police outposton September 9, where she was forced to drink and raped by the two constables. She was latermoved to Beur Central Jail where she reported the matter to the jail doctor. Sub-Inspector D.Pathak, the investigating officer in the murder case, said the allegations of rape were false andshe was a declared absconder in the case and was arrested after she surfaced last week. DMGautam Goswami said the woman had been sent for medical examination. (Indian Express16.9.04)21 st September

Suicide Video shows accomplice helped set Chittaranjan on fire (1)NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 20: EVEN though Manipur police registered a case of murder 10days after student activist Pebam Chittaranjan Mangang died of burns on August 15, no arrestshave been made so far, due to the sensitive situation in the state. While a case of attemptedsuicide was registered on the day of the incident (FIR No. 53A at Bishnupur station), a separatecase of murder was registered on August 25. Manipur Additional Deputy Commissioner of PoliceJ.C. Davas confirmed to The Indian Express that a case of murder was registered on August 25.Till now, it appeared that Chittaranjan had immolated himself. However, the full video footage ofthe incident — a copy of which is in the possession of this paper — shows that after Chittaranjanfailed to set himself on fire, an accomplice approached him from behind, with a box of matches,and did it for him. "We also have possession of the footage, which we got much earlier, and haveregistered a case of murder. We are currently investigating the matter," said Davas. He refused tocomment on whether police had made any arrests so far. Manipur Principal Secretary (Home)AE. Ahmed refused to comment on the matter. (Indian Express 21.9.004)Street boy says cops forced him into sex act (1)New Delhi, September 20: POLICEMEN IN New Friends Colony face a grave charge from a 16-year-old street boy The juvenile alleged that he was forced to indulge in "oral sex" and another ofhis friend was sodomised inside the police station a month back. The Child Welfare Committeeand Delhi Police have taken note of the allegations made at an interface between street children,NGO workers and the police. "We will pursue the matter both with the police and under theJuvenile Justice Act," said Child Welfare Committee's chairperson Bharati Sharma. The statutorycommittee comes under Delhi government's department of social welfare and has magisterialpowers under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. Pratidhi, an NGO affiliated with Delhi Police, hasoffered to bear the expenses for the child's upkeep and pursuing the case. The 16-year-old allegedthat a month ago, he was forced to have "oral sex" with another 12-year-old as"punishment" by the some local policemen. He said another of his associate was sodomised.Several street children alleged police misbehaviour. ACP Nirmal Verma from the Crime AgainstWomen Cell was also present at the interface. Local police said it will investigate the matter if itcomes to them. (Hindustan Times 21.9.04)23 rd SeptemberMinor boy becomes victim of cops’ greed (1)New Delhi: THEY SAY that poverty is a curse. This turned out to be true for a 16-year-old boyJeetu who, despite the fact that he is a minor, has been sent to Tihar Jail, as his parents couldnot afford to meet the demands of corrupt policemen. The nightmare for the minor boy began onSeptember seven when he was playing with his friends in a park near Jwalapuri in PaschimVihar. The boys had a quarrel during which Jeetu was hit on the head by a brick. Somebodycalled up the police control room and the boys were taken to the police station, Paschim Vihar.Jeetu's father, who washes utensils with some dhaba, was called to the police station at about3.30 pm. Head Constable, Inder Singh, demanded Rs 5,000 for releasing the boy. When the boysparents could not get the money a fabricated case was filed with the Paschim Vihar police station.The boy, who was a minor, had been shown as a 'major' in the police records and sent to TiharJail, courtesy the greedy cops. (Pioneer 23.9.04)1 st OctoberCourt raps cops for false cases (1)New Delhi, September 30: TWO GLARING examples of the police' dark side have come to lightwith a city court acquitting one person and discharging two others, falsely implicated in twoseparate cases by the police. In the first case Additional Sessions Judge, SN Dhingra hasacquitted one Prempal Singh 'accused' of raping a minor at Sangam Vihar in 2002. The courtdescribed the 'accused' tale as "more horrendous than a horror film". "I consider that this is aneye-opener, which reveals the manner in which police lets off real culprits and falsely implicatesinnocent persons.." the court observed. The court recommended that all police officersinvolved in framing Prempal in different cases be given exemplary punishment. It has also directedthat Prempal be adequately compensated for loss of valuable years and wrongful im-

prisonment for several years, including harassment for 15 years. On the basis of the testimony ofwitnesses that proved he was not in Delhi on the date of incident and several other circumstancesthe judge concluded that the accused had been framed. His ordeal started when he tried to savea neighbour from being harassed in June 1991 and later when he got a head constable andconstable suspended for keeping his stolen articles. Following this he was booked in 13 differentcases ranging from murder, robbery, Arms Act and finally rape. However, he has been acquittedin nine cases since 1991. In the second case the court has discharged two persons who hadbeen arrested by the Mehrauli police. 'Accused' Shiv Kumar Rajbhar and his mother Sundrihad been in judicial custody after a complaint was filed on April 26, 2004, by one Satpal that hisdaughter aged 16 years was 'enticed away' by one Anand Kumar Bhardwaj. Satpal has allegedthat while Shiv Kumar Rajbhar had got the two married and helped them elope , Sundri hadhidden the two. (Hindustan Times 1.10.04)Police mistreated minor rape victim, says NGO (1)A 14-YEAR-OLD girl allegedly raped in the Greater Kailash area on Tuesday was not only madeto travel in the police van but kept at the Patiala court in the lock-up meant for undertrials Theminor was later directed to a government home meant for adults-all grave lapses on thepart of the police. An NGO, who was called in to counsel the victim, revealed the incident . Seniorofficials said no inquiry has been ordered into the lapses. The girl worked as a maidat a Noidahouse. She had beensent there by a Placement agency. The girl contacted one Giridhar whom she come in contactwith at the placement agency and told him that she did not want to work at the house. Giridharwho works as a driver took her to his GK house and allegedly raped her. The girl with the help ofanother maid managed to escape.Giridhar was held. (Hindustan Times 1.10.04)4 th OctPoor put in jail for no fault, aquitted (1)New Delhi, Oct. 3: In yet another glaring example of the police putting poor persons in jail withoutany offence, a Delhi court has come to the rescue of two such “accused,” including a woman, anddischarged them. Additional sessions judge Shiv Narain Dhingra, who noted the case “as aglaring example of how poor persons are put in jail by the police without any offence and theirliberty snatched away on flimsy grounds,” also reprimanded the Delhi police and a metropolitanmagistrate for their conduct and duties.“There is nothing on the basis of which these two accused can be put to trial,” . the judge ruled,while discharging Sundri and Shiv Kumar Rajbhar, who had been made accused in a kidnappingcase by the Delhi police after Sundri’s son allegedly eloped with a girl from the neighbourhood.According to a complaint made by Satpal, father of the 16-year-old girl, to the Mehrauli policestation in South Delhi, his daughter had gone missing on April 25 this year. (Asian Age 4.10.04)7 th OctoberAnother custody death in Raman home district (1)RAIPUR, OCTOBER 6: WHILE the dust kicked up by two alleged custodial deaths in the state isyet to settle, another in Kawardha, Chief Minister Raman Singh's home district, is set to givesleepless nights to the Chhattisgarh government. Sources said tension gripped Kawardha todayafter the body of a Dalit yo^th, Bannu Ram alias Babloo, was recovered from a field. Babloo, whohailed from Sodha village, had been summoned to Pipriya police station yesterday in a case relatingto an attempt to murder in his village, the sources added. His body was found : this morninglying in a field a few metres away from the police station, which has a power substation of theChhattisgarh State Electricity Board nearby. Police claimed that the youth died of electrocution byhigh-tension overhead wires. As news of the youth's death spread, over 2,000 angry villagerstoday ghaeroed the Pipriya police station. Refusing to allow the body to be taken for post-mortem,the villagers shouted slogans against the Chief Minister and the police, demanding the arrest ofSHO D.K. Sisodia and other policemen involved in the killing of the youth. (Indian Express7.10.04)20 th October

Rape victim allegedly dies in police custody (1)JAIPUR, OCT. 19. A 19-year-old married girl belonging to the pastoral Bagaria community ofRajasthan died under suspicious circumstances allegedly in police custody in Phagi, near here,early this month after she underwent the agony of abduction and gang-rape for several days.Nangi of Kagya village in Phagi tehsil died on October 4 when a head constable of Phagi policestation took her away on the pretext of getting her medico-legal examination done for confirmingher charge of gang-rape against four persons. The police official did not allow the family membersto accompany her. The girl was found in a serious condition in the Community Health Centre inPhagi after a few hours. She was unconscious, foaming at mouth and bleeding profusely and thedoctors referred her to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur for treatment. According to the familymembers, Nangi died on the way. The women's organisations, which took up the case with thehigher police authorities, today demanded registration of a case of murder against Head ConstableTarachand and stern action against the officials of Phagi police station for refusing to registerNangi's death as a custodial death. Police have not registered any first information report in thecase. (The Hindu 20.10.04)26 th OoctoPUCL slams police for action against school students (1)JAIPUR, OCT. 25. The Rajasthan unit of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) today denounced"repressive" measures taken by the police to crush an agitation launched by hundredsof students of a Government senior secondary school and their parents in protest against thePrincipal's transfer in Kuhadwas village of Jhunjhunu district recently. The police resorted to lathicharge,lobbed teargas shells and fired in the air to disperse a crowd of students and villagersstaging a peaceful dharna on the interior Satnali-Singhana road near Kuhadwas on October 7.More than 20 villagers were injured in the incident and one of them sustained a bullet injury in hisfoot. The villagers were protesting against the transfer of the school Principal, Ganga Ram, whohad improved the academic atmosphere, created more facilities for students and enhanced theresults during his 13-month tenure. An all-time high number of 520 students, including 276 girls,were enrolled during the current academic session due to his special efforts. Mr. Ganga Ram wastransferred to Pacheri early this month as part of shifting of hundreds of teachers across theState. As soon as the news of his transfer spread, the students locked the school and took out arally on October 5. The school continues to remain closed even now, with the villagers demandingcancellation of the transfer. (The Hindu 26.10.04)9 th Nov.Srinagar orders probe of rape by Armymen (1)Srinagar, Nov. 8: The Kashmir Valley is aghast over the rape of an 11-year old girl and hermother, allegedly by an Army major and his men in a remote village of the frontier Kupwaradistrict even as the government has ordered a probe into the incident. A senior Army officer onMonday visited the victims to ensure that if found guilty, the accused will be punished. He soughtcooperation in holding impartial investigations into the incident. However, a defencespokesperson here strongly denied the charge saying that the allegation was false but could beinvestigated into. Thousands of people took to the streets for the second day running on Mondayin various parts of the Valley to hold demonstrations in protest against the alleged rape thatoccurred over the weekend. On Sunday, about 2,000 protesters moved to the roads in the Handwaratown, 85km northwest of here, demanding death for the accused. (Asian Age 9.11.04)12 th Nov.Handwara rape: Army suspends accused Major (1)New Delhi: In a belated move, Army chief General N C Vij on Thursday ordered the suspensionand arrest of Major Rehman who allegedly raped a woman and her 10-year-old daughter inBadhra Payeen village of Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir last week. The incident has led towidespread protests in the state, with People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufticalling it "the biggest blow to our government" in the last two years. "The Army chief orderedMajor Rehman be suspended and placed under close arrest for violating the laid downprocedures with regard to execution of operations," said an Army spokesperson.

A joint Army and police court of inquiry into the incident is in progress at present. "DNA samplesof Major Rehman, along with the samples of the woman, daughter and husband, have beendespatched to the forensic laboratory under laid down procedures of the law," he said. (Times ofIndia 12.11.04)16 th Nov.Video court set to roll in Tihar jail (1)New Delhi, November 15: TIHAR PRISON authorities will no longer have to undertake thecumbersome task of lining up hundreds of undertrials and transporting them to courts. When thevideo-conferencing facility starts this month, prisoners need not be physically present at court forevery hearing. "Studios in jails would be linked to the Tihar court complex, where the judicialmagistrate would sit. A prisoner in a studio would interact with the judge in the court complex. Theentire system — including cameras and monitors — is in place," a senior official said. Officialshope video-conferencing would prevent escapes like the one by Sher Singh Rana, prime suspectin the murder of bandit-turned-MP Phoolan Devi, in February this year. A fake policeman whiskedaway Rana on the pretext of taking him to a Hardwar court for extending his judicial remand. Thelaw says an undertrial has to be produced physically before a judicial magistrate once every 14days. As a result, nearly 350 undertrials are taken to the Tihar court complex every day This enablescourts to see that undertrials are not being mistreated in jail. (Hindustan Times 16.11.04)18 th Nov.Doctor's killing: Constable held (1)PATNA, NOVEMBER 17: A CONSTABLE at the State Police headquarters was arrested inconnection with the killing of surgeon N.K. Agarwal and his aide during Diwali last week.Rampravesh Sharma was arrested on the charge of "sheltering" his son Anjey Kumar Raju who iswanted for his alleged relations with gangster Bindu Singh, suspected to be the mastermindbehind the killing, said officer-in-charge of Kadamkuan police station Neelam Kumar Singh.Sharma has been sent to jail, he said. Meanwhile, as the indefinite strike called by IMA to protestAgarwal's killing entered the fifth day without any signs of a settlement, Army doctors were calledin to man major hospitals in Bihar. The Ministry of Defence had agreed to the Bihar government'srequest to send specialists to major hospitals, said Chief Secretary K. AH. Subramanian. At least63 Army doctors — from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi and other places—wouldarrive in Patna by Wednesday evening to run emergency services at the medical colleges andhospitals at Muzaffarpur, Bha-galpur and Darbhanga in the first phase, he said. Similararrangements would be made for the district hospitals in the second phase, when the Army wouldstart sending additional personnel from its medical corps. (Indian Express 18.11.04)20 th Nov.Cop shoots three, Begusari tense (1)PATNA, NOVEMBER 19: A MOB today ransacked the Begusarai railway station, attacked thepolice post, and blocked the highway following the killing of three villagers by an assistant sub-inspectorof police. Officials at the police headquarters said Dinanath Tiwari fired from his officialcarbine when villagers resisted his attempt to rape a woman last night. The policeman, who wasreportedly in an inebriated state, shot a woman and a child on the spot in Baga village. Anotherman, who sustained injuries, died in the hospital. The incident occurred on Thursday eveningwhen the state was celebrating Chhat puja. Tiwari has been taken into police custody and DGPNararyan Mishra said in Patna that he would be punished. "It is a heinous crime and I assure thepeople of Begusarai that he will be punished," Mishra said. However, situation remained tense inthe town. Mobs blocked roads and set fire to railway warehouse and attacked the Bagaobservation post The police opened fire several times during the day to disperse the agitatedmob. All shops remained closed even as the protesters disrupted train and road traffic. (IndianExpress 20.11.04)Army orders inquiry into 75-yr-old man's death (1)New Delhi: THE ARMY has ordered a court of inquiry to probe into an incident in Manipur onTuesday in which a 75-year-old man was killed and Ms wife injured, allegedly by the personnel of

the Assam Rifles. Meanwhile, security measures have been strengthened in the state as PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh will be arriving in Imphal on Saturday on a two-day visit to attend aseries of functions, including the handing over of the historic Kangla Fort to the people ofManipur. The Fort has been lodging a contingent of the Army for several years. Giving details ofthe incident in which the old man was killed, a Defence ministry spokesperson said here onFriday mat the court of inquiry would investigate the incident of November 16-17 night.The incident took place when personnel of the 28th Assam Rifles, during a cordon and searchoperation, allegedly killed 75-year-old Rengtuiwan Chiru and injured his wife Thangmuchim, bothresidents of Bungte Chiru village in Senapati district. (Pioneer 20.11.04)Ketchup colonel faked kills; fired (1)New Delhi, November 19: THE ARMY colonel who faked his claim for a gallantry medal bysplashing ketchup on civilians to make them look like militants killed in an encounter in the Northeasthas been dismissed from service. "Colonel HS Kohli, who was commanding officer of anartillery regiment, has been found guilty of reporting an encounter which had not taken place," asenior officer at Army Headquarters confirmed on Friday. The complicity of a major, who wasserving under Colonel Kohli has also been established, he said. The two connived in claiming killsat Bada Nagadun near Silchar, Assam, in 2003 by presenting photographs of civilians splashedwith ketchup. The civilians, who posed as dead militants has been employed by Kohli's unit.While Kohli, who gained notoriety as the 'Ketchup Colonel', has been dismissed, the major hasbeen slapped with a five-year loss of service and a severe reprimand. After the scandal atSiachen, this is the second case of fake kills, which is tormenting the Army. While the Siachencourt martial is in progress, Colonel Kohli has become the first Indian Army officer to bedismissed for fabricating an encounter with militants for winning glory and military medals forhimself and his unit. (Hindustan Times 20.11.04)21 st Nov.Centre gets breather from Lup on AFSPAImphal: In what has come as a respite for both Manipur and New Delhi, the moderate faction ofthe Apunba Lup has given the ruling UPA government time till December 10—which incidentallyis International Human Rights Day — to repeal the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers)Act. The Lup members, who were meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the second timein the recent past, said that the deadline should be viewed as an ultimatum. Singh was also toldthat they may be compelled to intensify their agitation against the AFSPA if his assurances onreplacing the law were not translated into action. The PM, however, was quick to reply that thedelegation should not to give a deadline as the Centre would require some time to work out asolution to the vexed problem."Test our good gesture and have confidence in me. As India islarge and complex, it would take some time to find a solution," Singh reportedly told Lupmembers. Continuing the talks that began in New Delhi, a 15-member Lup delegation had adetailed discussion with the PM in Imphal on Saturday. (Times of India 21.11.04)22 nd Nov.Give up rigid deadline for repeal of Armed Forces Act (1)IMPHAL, NOV. 21. Wrapping up his maiden visit to Manipur as Prime Minister, Manmohan Singhtoday said he was aware of the "depth of feelings" of the people of the State about the ArmedForces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and appealed to the groups agitating for its withdrawal not toinsist on a "rigid deadline" for its repeal. To a question whether the constitution of a committee toreview the Act would satisfy the people, Dr. Singh said that during his meeting with a delegationof the Apunba Lup — the apex organisation of 32 groups agitating for the repeal of the Act — inNew Delhi, he had assured the members of his sincere desire to find a solution while protectingnational security as well as the fundamental human rights of citizens. "In fulfilment of that commitment,we have set up a high-power committee, headed by Justice Jeevan Reddy, to look into thedrawbacks and weaknesses of the Act and, if necessary, will replace it with a more humane Actwhich will address national security concerns and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens,"he said. The Prime Minister was addressing a press conference at the Raj Bhavan here on theconclusion of his visit to Manipur. He said he had undertaken the trip to know about the people's

problems, promote peace and accelerate development. (The Hindu 22.11.04)Custodial deaths, abuse of police power rising (1)New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently quoted United States Justice Brandies' observationmade in 1961, perhaps to buttress its own finding that lawlessness and custodial violence in Indiahas increased manifold. "The government as the omnipotent and omnipresent teacher teachesthe whole people by its example; if the government becomes a law breaker, it breeds contemptfor law, it invites every man to become a law into himself." There is no doubt that custodial deathsare increasing in the US and India. Both countries owe allegiance to the rule of law, civil societyand human rights. What Bush did to innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be describedas a civil act acceptable under the UN charter for human rights. Similarly, Indian men in 'khakhi'or green have been accused of perpetuating dastardly crimes on innocent, helpless and poorcitizens. In a detailed judgment which exposes the political governance and the "so-called"protagonists of human rights and law, Justices Arijit Pasayat and C K Thakker also noted:"Custodial violence, torture and abuse of police power are not peculiar to this country, but it iswidespread." India may be backward in many ways, but it matches steps with other countries thathave scant respect for right to life. Cases involving the killing of over 1,300 people in police orjudicial custody in India were reported in 2002 in India. Significantly, only 40% of the cases arereported while the remaining are hushed up, said an analyst. (Times of India 22.11.04)28 th Nov.300 life convicts may be released early (1)THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 27.: The State Prison Review Committee is considering alist of 300-odd life convicts who have completed eight years in prison for their premature releaseon the basis of a set of guidelines aimed at making the process systematic and foolproof.The list has been drawn from the inmates of the Nettukaltheri Open Jail near Neyyattinkara andthe three Central Prisons at Thiruvananthapuram, Viyyur and Kannur, who have completed eightyears in prison with May last as the cut-off month. The committee, which was constituted inMarch, has met five times so far and reviewed the cases of 62 prisoners. The recommendationshave been forwarded to the Home Department for scrutiny, from where they would be sent to theGovernor for final approval. The committee, which has a term of two years, is due to meet againon Tuesday. The guidelines were framed after a Division Bench of the High Court, on its ownaccord, took note of the indiscriminate manner in which life convicts were being released onparole in 2001. One particular prisoner had been granted 675 days of parole, while there was onewho had not been granted parole at all and others who had enjoyed only 30 or 40 days. (TheHindu 28.11.04)4 th Dec.SI tortures suspect, probe ordered (1)New Delhi: Expressing shock at the serious nature of a man's injuries, sustained after he wasallegedly thrashed by a policeman, the Delhi High Court ordered a vigilance inquiry into theincident on Thursday. Narender Kumar was suspected to be involved in a theft case. In an apparentcase of blatant human rights violation, he was said to have been beaten up by a subinspectorat the Kirti Nagar police station while he was called for interrogation. Justice R CChopra told the deputy commissioner of police (vigilance) to probe the allegations. He asked theKumar to give his evidence before the DCP. Kumar has also been allowed to approach an appropriateforum to claim damages if his charges are found true. Justice Chopra ordered the inquirydespite the Kirti Nagar SHO denying the allegations. The judge observed: "The court is ofthe view that a vigilance inquiry is called for." Kumar had approached the high court inSeptember, following the incident on August 13 this year. According to Kumar, Babu Singh, aconstable of Kirti Nagar, had visited his house at 9 pm on August 12 and summoned him to thepolice station. Kumar said that he was detained at the police station till 10 pm. When he objected,Prakash allegedly beat him up. As a result of the thrashing, Kumar's back got swollen. Hishearing has also been impaired. (Times of India 4.12.04)6 th Dec.

Drunk RPF men assault Rajdhani passengers, TS (1)New Delhi: NEXT TIME you travel by the Rajdhani Express, India's premier long-distance train,beware of the drunk Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. Leave alone the commonpassenger even the Train Superintendent (TS) can become victim of the wrath of the RPF personnel.In one such incident two drunk RPF constables mercilessly beat up the TS and twopassenger on board the Jammu-Tavi Rajdhani Express on the night of November 27 over a minorissue. What is more shocking is that this appalling incident took place in the Rajdhani, which issaid to be the pride of Indian Railways it was 8.20 pm on November 27. Two allegedly drunk RPFconstables identified as Ravinder Kumar and Dahiya first misbehaved with the two passengersand threatened them at gun point. When the TS came to their rescue they also beat him up. Onreaching Delhi when the passengers tried to get a case registered, the Railway Police as well asthe RPF turned a deaf ear. Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO), DPS Sandhu said "a board ofRailway officers has been constituted to look into the whole incident and an enquiry has beeninitiated". However, no case has been registered in this regard. (Pioneer 6.12.04)8 th DecTeacher's torture: Inquiry ordered (1)Noida, December 7: NOIDA SSP Piyush Mordia has ordered an inquiry into the alleged torture ofa teacher by cops. The victim's wife had informed Mordia about the incident some days back. Thevictim was tortured to such an extent that he has lost mental balance and refuses to venture outof his house. What reportedly instigated the cops was the fact that the teacher had reported incidentsof corruption among them to senior officials. Meanwhile, a forgery case has beenregistered against Noida Authority junior engineer K.R. Verma at the Kasna Police Station inGreater Noida. Verma in connivance with one Lekhpal, allegedly got the registry of land belongingto a Kasna resident in favour of his wife Kamlesh. SDM (Sadar) Rakesh Kumar Singh hasordered the sub-registrar to cancel the registry papers. The police have found that Verma hadbeen involved in similar forgeries in the past as well. Authority officials said that action will betaken against the employee if allegations are proven true. (Hindustan Times 8.12.04)9 th Dec.Court to police: Explain security lapses (1)Mumbai, Dec. 8: The special court conducting the Best Bakery trial on Wednesday recorded thestatement of R.B. Brahmbhatt, the police superintendent of Gandhinagar, regarding the securitylapses in the protection by the Gujarat government to witnesses in case, including prime witness,Zahira Sheikh. The court had ordered the Gujarat police to grant protection to Zahira and sixother witnesses. However, only Zahira and her family were provided protection, while the restwere not. As per the order of additional director-general of the Gujarat police, the protection wasto be accorded for all of them till the Gujarat border but was later extended till Mumbai.Another lapse on the part of the Gujarat police was that no lady constable accompaniedeyewitness Saira Sheikh. Also, the three constables who accompanied the witnesses to Mumbaiwere without the mandatory duty passes. The court had summoned Mr Brahmbhatt to explainwhy the orders were not followed. (Asian Age 9.12.04)12 th DecTeenage torture Court denies bail to SI (1)New Delhi: A sub-inspector (SI) who allegedly tortured a teenager has been denied anticipatorybail by a city court. Additional sessions judge S N Dhingra refused to accept SI Praveen Kumar'sbail plea and held that his custodial interrogation was necessary. "It is important to find underwhat circumstances the complainant was kidnapped and tortured," Dhingra said. Subsequent toDhingra's order, the south district, where Kumar was posted at the time of the alleged incident,have initiated a departmental inquiry against him. He is, however, yet to be arrested. An assistantcommissioner of police (ACP) has been asked to head the inquiry. Every Friday, the ACP has tofile a status report with the deputy commissioner of police (south district). The allegations againstKumar are being probed by the special investigative team of the Crime Branch. He was placedunder suspension after a case was registered against Kumar. The action was initiated only afterthe Delhi High Court indicated it would pass an averse order against the police. Although Kumar's

counsel argued the registration of the case was delayed, as it was filed two years after theallegations were levelled against the SI, Dhingra passed scathing remarks against the police.Kumar has been accused of picking up the teenager in 2001, while he was posted at theAmbedkar Nagar police station. (Times of India 12.12.04)23 rd DecAnother rape charge against Army, now in Anantnag (1)SALLAR (ANANTNAG), DEC 22: EVEN AS an Army Major faces court martial proceedings forthe rape of a woman and her 10-year-old daughter at Handwara, another incident of alleged rapeby Army personnel was reported from the Chief Minister's constituency of Pahalgam last night.The residents of Gujjar village took to the streets this morning, protesting the alleged rape of 60-year-old Hakeem Jan by a trooper of 3 Rashtriya Rifles. Police have registered an FIR againstthe trooper and begun investigations, said IG, Kashmir, Javaid Mukhdoomi. He said,"preliminary medical examinations negate rape. But since we have received a complaint, an FIRhas been lodged." The Defence spokesman in Sri-nagar also denied the charge. "The medicalreport conducted on the woman says no rape took place," said Lt Col V K Batra, PRO for the 15Corps. "But we have launched joint investigations with police to ascertain if there was anymisbehaviour," he said. "We think there has been a deliberate attempt to malign the reputation ofthe Army." But eyewitnesses in this remote village, say two RR jawans barged into the house ofMohammad Sadiq Shah on Sunday evening. Shah and his four sons — three of them deaf anddumb — were preparing dinner at that time. (Indian Express 23.12.04)27 th DecVillage shuns girl after DIG announces relief (1)SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 26” IT WAS only six months ago that they had risen in protest againsther arrest and torture by police. Today the villagers have turned their back against Hasina Akhter,17, and ostracised her, all because of a statement made by a senior police officer whoannounced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh and a job for her family. The DIG's statement at a pressconference has led to the villagers pointing fingers at Hasina, accusing her of accepting moneyfrom the police. On July 3, a Handwara police team led by the DSP arrested Ahkter from theGovernment Higher Secondary School, Zachaldara, where she was studying, charging her withinvolvement in the murder of a CRPF personnel. The girl was later allegedly tortured at theHandwara police station, sparking violent protests in the town which later spread to other parts ofthe Valley. The protests continued for days and the villagers relented only after the police orderedan inquiry into the incident. But things have changed for Hasina. Speaking to reporters here, shesaid today: "The police have spread the rumour that I took money from them, which I never did.This has made my life miserable." (Indian Express 27.12.04)28 th DecAligarh women keep off cyber cafes: Police High-handedness (1)Aligarh: This historic city in UP, once a fertile ground for political, social and educational reform,has retreated into mediaeval times. No women are to be seen at cyber cafes that had till recentlyenjoyed a flourishing trade. The "raids", recorded on television, have already documented thehumiliation that young women had to suffer. The police had revelled in forcing the women to faceTV cameras. The police have been busy swooping down on such cafes from December 13 onwards.While their success in rounding up persons involved in "illegitimate" activities is stilluncertain, it has certainly driven away women and forced some cyber cafe owners to rethink theirbusiness options. Some owners say that harassment by the "moral police", as the localconstabulary has largely come to be referred to, may force them to take up alternative vocations.According to Naved Ahmed, a student and owner of a cyber cafe, some arrests were carried outafter a girl resisted misbehaviour by a policeman. It was at this cafe that a policeman pulled anengineering student out of a cubicle by her hair. Later, following protests, the personal securityofficer of the SP (city), S K Verma, was suspended for this act. For all their efforts, the policehave so far arrested six men from a cyber cafe for allegedly "behaving obscenely in a publicplace". (Times of India 28.12.04)

29 th DecCop in civvies beats NGO official (1)New Delhi, December 28: WHEN POLICEMEN spin out of control, terror takes charge. OnFriday, a policeman — who wasn't in uniform while on duty — beat up an ActionAid NGO officialS.K. Ravi in Vasant Kunj. The activist-lawyer demanded that the policeman reveal his identitybefore subjecting him to unwarranted questioning. That was the last straw. The errant policemannot only rained blows on Ravi but also asked his colleagues to join him in the brutal act. Theythen dragged him to the nearby police chowki — some 300 yards away. Ravi has filed acomplaint with commissioner of police K.K. Paul and district DCP Dependra Pathak. However,the last is yet to be heard on what action has been taken against the cop. The NGO official saidaround 11.45 pm on Friday, Ravi was returning to his block B-l, Vasant Kunj residence on footfrom his friend's house in block C-6. A motorcycle-borne policeman intercepted him and askedhim what he doing so late into night. Apparently, the policeman thought only criminals are seenon streets after dark. The NGO official said the person in plainclothes started questioning him.When Ravi asked him to state his identity, he was beaten and humiliated. (Hindustan Times29.12.04)