annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Madhya Pradesh
Religious minorities faced
persecutions at the hands of the
fundamentalist Hindu groups. 6
II. Atrocities security forces
NHRC recorded high number of
custodial deaths in Madhya Pradesh with
71 cases registered in 1999-2000, 48 cases
in 2000-2001, 45 cases in 2001-2002 and
37 cases in 2002-2003. 7
On 15 July 2004, Commercial Tax
Deputy Commissioner R. K. Jain died
while in Lok Ayukta police custody in
Bhopal. He was arrested on 14 July 2004
from his office for allegedly accepting Rs
2,000 as bribe. He died at the Hamidia
hospital at around 1.30 p.m. after he was
shifted there in critical condition. Jain’s
relatives alleged that he was murdered by
the police. 8 On 16 July 2004, then chief
minister Ms Uma Bharati announced that a
judicial inquiry into the incident would be
ordered. 9
On 25 July 2004, a minor tribal boy,
Bablu alias Jaibhan of Gram Danayacha in
Sheopur district died in the custody of the
Birpur police station. The Birpur police
picked him up along with another tribal boy
Ummaid while they were working in a
field. Police told the relatives that they
would be released after interrogation. But
they were kept behind bars from 16 July to
20 July 2004. Bablu was shifted to Seopur
sub-jail on 21 July 2004 as his health started
deteriorating. Later, he was admitted to
Seopur district hospital from where he was
referred to Gwalior hospital but died en
route. The police cremated his body without
informing the family members. 10
Although in November 2004, the
Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a
police officer, who was responsible for
custodial death of a convict, Shambhu
Tyagi in June 1984, the culprits of most
custodial deaths went unpunished. 11
On 15 June 1995, Hamid Khan died in
police lock-up in Raisen district. After a
magisterial inquiry, criminal cases were
registered against some police personnel.
Later the police sought to close the case
but the court did not allow this. However,
the culprits were yet to be punished. In
1997, Govind Prasad died in police
custody in Rewa. A case was registered
and a magisterial inquiry was ordered. But
the viscera report of the case was not
obtained till July 2001. No action has been
taken against any body for custodial death
of Govind Prasad. In 1998, Pancham
Kachhi died in police lock-up in Morena.
The magisterial inquiry absolved the
police officials. The State Human Rights
Commission was not satisfied with the
report and queried from the police who
failed to reply for four years. In May 2001,
Sundar, an undertrial, was found dead in
Rajgarh district jail. It was revealed that
the deceased Sundar was handcuffed and
was kept hanging upside down. Hot water
was poured on him and he was severely
beaten up for two days. When his
condition became precarious he was taken
to hospital where he died. According to the
doctors he was “brought dead”; but no
action has been taken against any
policeman. In July 2001, Kesar Singh was
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