Human Rights Abuse in Manipur
HC orders police probe into Umathel excesses:
Imphal, Dec 17: Imphal Bench of Guwahati High Court on Monday directed the state Director General of Police to enquire into the facts and circumstances leading to the injuries inflicted upon the civilians of Umathel and its adjoining areas in the aftermath of encounter between cadres of proscribed PREPAK and a column of Assam Rifles on September 30 this year.
It may be mentioned, as many as 52 men suffered injuries when they were beaten up by the Assam Rifles personnel in the aftermath of the September 30 encounter and many of them were forced to leave their homes for fear of further excesses by the security forces.
The enquiry to find out the facts and circumstance is to be made by a nominee not below the rank of an inspector general of police and 21st Assam Rifles should cooperate with the inquiry, the directive of the division bench of the Gauhati High Court said.
The division bench comprised of Justice T Nandakumar Singh and Justice K Meruno stated said a statement of the Human Rights Law Network, HRLN on Monday.
The directive of the court was ordered subsequent to the notice of motion issued on November 14 this year in which the respondents did not file their affidavit-in-opposition.
The respondents of the case was the Union of India represented by defense secretary, ministry of defense, the home secretary, ministry of home affairs, the inspector general of Assam Rifles (South), the commanding officer, 21 Assam Rifles, principal secretary home, government of Manipur and the DGP of Manipur and the case was filed jointly in the form of PIL by Human Rights Alert, HRA, Threaten Indigenous People’s Society (TIPS) and Centre for Organization Research and Education, CORE on the report of alleged torture of villagers by the personnel of the Assam Rifles.
The court directive also asked the DGP to conduct the inquiry within a month from the date of receipt of the order.
On September 30 this year, mention may be made, an encounter occurred between the cadres of proscribed PREPAK and personnel of 21st Assam Rifles near the waiting shed in front of the Kakching Khunou College at Umathel village. At least one personnel was killed while another suffered injuries at his right hand and ear in the encounter.
In the aftermath of the encounter, additional force of Assam Rifles rushed to the spot and conducted search operations in the area. All men of Umathel and its adjoining area were called out and gathered at the Kakching Khunou campus and forced to lie on the ground and beaten up by the Assam Rifles, the HRLN said referring to the case dossiers.
In the Assam Rifles` wrath as many as 52 men sustained injuries in different parts of the bodies. Many of them were hospitalized at RIMS, Lamphel and JN hospital, Porompat and also in the private hospitals in Imphal.
Apart from inflicting injuries to the villagers, many of men members of the villages left their homes and took shelter at their relatives and neighboring villages as they feared a possible re-visit of the Assam Rifles personnel, the case dossiers mentioned, the statement of the HRLN said.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, Dec 17: Imphal Bench of Guwahati High Court on Monday directed the state Director General of Police to enquire into the facts and circumstances leading to the injuries inflicted upon the civilians of Umathel and its adjoining areas in the aftermath of encounter between cadres of proscribed PREPAK and a column of Assam Rifles on September 30 this year.
It may be mentioned, as many as 52 men suffered injuries when they were beaten up by the Assam Rifles personnel in the aftermath of the September 30 encounter and many of them were forced to leave their homes for fear of further excesses by the security forces.
The enquiry to find out the facts and circumstance is to be made by a nominee not below the rank of an inspector general of police and 21st Assam Rifles should cooperate with the inquiry, the directive of the division bench of the Gauhati High Court said.
The division bench comprised of Justice T Nandakumar Singh and Justice K Meruno stated said a statement of the Human Rights Law Network, HRLN on Monday.
The directive of the court was ordered subsequent to the notice of motion issued on November 14 this year in which the respondents did not file their affidavit-in-opposition.
The respondents of the case was the Union of India represented by defense secretary, ministry of defense, the home secretary, ministry of home affairs, the inspector general of Assam Rifles (South), the commanding officer, 21 Assam Rifles, principal secretary home, government of Manipur and the DGP of Manipur and the case was filed jointly in the form of PIL by Human Rights Alert, HRA, Threaten Indigenous People’s Society (TIPS) and Centre for Organization Research and Education, CORE on the report of alleged torture of villagers by the personnel of the Assam Rifles.
The court directive also asked the DGP to conduct the inquiry within a month from the date of receipt of the order.
On September 30 this year, mention may be made, an encounter occurred between the cadres of proscribed PREPAK and personnel of 21st Assam Rifles near the waiting shed in front of the Kakching Khunou College at Umathel village. At least one personnel was killed while another suffered injuries at his right hand and ear in the encounter.
In the aftermath of the encounter, additional force of Assam Rifles rushed to the spot and conducted search operations in the area. All men of Umathel and its adjoining area were called out and gathered at the Kakching Khunou campus and forced to lie on the ground and beaten up by the Assam Rifles, the HRLN said referring to the case dossiers.
In the Assam Rifles` wrath as many as 52 men sustained injuries in different parts of the bodies. Many of them were hospitalized at RIMS, Lamphel and JN hospital, Porompat and also in the private hospitals in Imphal.
Apart from inflicting injuries to the villagers, many of men members of the villages left their homes and took shelter at their relatives and neighboring villages as they feared a possible re-visit of the Assam Rifles personnel, the case dossiers mentioned, the statement of the HRLN said.
Source: The Imphal Free Press