annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
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INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Maharashtra<br />
alias Shobha David Carvalho, a homeless<br />
who lived on a footpath outside<br />
Churchgate railway station, allegedly<br />
committed suicide by hanging herself<br />
from the ceiling fan in a woman lock-up at<br />
Bandra police station in North West<br />
Mumbai. The deceased was arrested in a<br />
theft case three days prior to her death and<br />
was remanded to police custody till 12<br />
March 2004 by the Metropolitan Court at<br />
Bandra (East). On 12 March 2004, she was<br />
again produced be<strong>for</strong>e the Metropolitan<br />
court where she was further remanded to<br />
police custody till 17 March 2004.<br />
According to the police, as soon as the<br />
lady constable who escorted her to the<br />
ladies room located in the premises of the<br />
police station stepped out to bring water,<br />
she immediately closed the main door of<br />
the room and committed suicide with the<br />
help of her sari. 7<br />
In April 2004, the Nagpur bench of the<br />
Bombay High Court <strong>report</strong>edly summoned<br />
the Inspector General of Police (CID) in<br />
connection with ‘unsatisfactory’<br />
investigation into the alleged unnatural<br />
death of Sheikh Baba Alias Sheikh Rasul,<br />
who died in police custody at Digras<br />
police station in Yavatmal district of<br />
Vidarbha region on 11 November 2003.<br />
The victim’s widow, Munira Begum,<br />
stated that Sheikh was arrested by Digras<br />
police on 8 November 2003 <strong>for</strong> an offence<br />
punishable under Section 379 of Indian<br />
Penal Code. A Magistrate remanded him to<br />
police custody where Sheikh was tortured<br />
and succumbed to the injuries. Later the<br />
police allegedly tried to cover up the death<br />
by trying to make it look like a suicide.<br />
The petitioner filed a criminal petition<br />
seeking compensation and fair and speedy<br />
investigations into Sheikh’s unnatural<br />
death. 8<br />
On 31 August 2004, 33-year-old<br />
Girish Narendra Vavekar died in police<br />
custody of Meghwadi police station in<br />
Mumbai allegedly because of torture. He<br />
was arrested on 28 August 2004 in an<br />
assault case. On 30 August 2004, he was<br />
produced be<strong>for</strong>e the metropolitan court,<br />
which sent him to judicial custody till 30n<br />
August 2004. However, while he was<br />
being transferred from police remand to<br />
judicial custody at the Central prison in the<br />
city, his condition worsened. He was<br />
rushed to the JJ Hospital where he was<br />
admitted to ward no 9. While undergoing<br />
treatment, he vomited blood and died at<br />
around 1.30 am on 31 August 2004. 9<br />
On 2 September 2004, 36-year-old<br />
Ashok Babu Sasi, a resident of Khar, died<br />
at Babha hospital at Bandra in Mumbai<br />
while in police custody. He was arrested<br />
by the Azad Maiden police on 17 August<br />
2004 in a two-wheeler theft case. Police<br />
took Sasi into custody on 31 August 2004<br />
to ascertain if he was involved in the theft<br />
case in their jurisdiction. On the same day<br />
Sasi was taken to a hospital <strong>for</strong> the<br />
mandatory check up where his health was<br />
found to be normal. However, late in the<br />
night Sasi allegedly complained of illness<br />
and was admitted to Babha Hospital at<br />
Bandra where he was undergoing<br />
treatment <strong>for</strong> pneumonia. Police said he<br />
died at the hospital at around 5 am on 2<br />
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