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

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Maharashtra
Maratha Battalion camp at Pimpale-Gurav,
Pune. Medical tests of the victim at the
Yashwantrao Chavan memorial hospital in
Pimpri confirmed the rape. On 12 October
2004, Indian Army personnel Basavraj
Darnayewar, a native of Belgaum, was
arrested by the Chatushrungi police for his
alleged involvement in the rape after the
victim identified him during a test
identification parade. 14
On 9 December 2004, a police
constable identified as Gopinath Desai
attached to the Kasturba Marg police
station was arrested and charged with rape
and abduction of a minor girl of 14 years.
Both constable Desai and the girl were
residents of Charkop in Kandivli (West).
The girl tutored Desai’s school-going
children and regularly went to his house.
However, on 4 December 2004 when she
did not return home, the girl’s father filed
a complaint and the police started probing
the girl’s disappearance. Later the police
arrested the constable and rescued the girl
from a hotel in Goa. 15
iii. Torture
There were reports of torture and other
harrassment by the law enforcement
personnel.
On 15 February 2004, City
Commissioner Prabhakar Lohar ordered
arrest of 35 policemen of Nashik Road
Central Jail for their alleged involvement in
the beating and harassment of civilians
during a search operation to trace an
escaped prisoner on 14 February 2004. A
case was also registered against them. 16
On the night of 16 May 2004,
Shashikant Bar and Restaurant owner,
Shashikant was allegedly assaulted by
police constable DP Salunkhe and his
associate SM Garud at the restaurant at
Mahakali Road, Mumbai. While the police
constable threatened Shashikant by
showing his police identity card, his
associate invoked his Shiv Sena links and
refused to pay the bill of Rs 240. Having
been thrown out of the hotel by the staff,
four other men came to the hotel on the
same night and attacked the hotel staff
with paper knife and alcohol bottles.
Shashikant sustained injury on the left side
of his face and skull, and received a deep
wound on the chest. He had to be admitted
at Holy Spirit Hospital. Following a
complaint, the police arrested police
constable DP Salunkhe and his associate
SM Garud on 18 May 2004. They were
later released on a bail of Rs 4000 each by
the metropolitan court. 17
II. Atrocities against the Dalits
The Dalits faced atrocities ranging
from physical abuse to social boycott by
the upper castes.
The Dalits of Kuravade village in
Mangaon taluka of Raigad district had
reportedly been facing social boycott by
the upper caste since March 2003 after
they drew water from the common village
well. The Dalits had to draw water from
the common well after some miscreants
threw human excreta in the well near their
hamlet, following an altercation with
them. To avoid further confrontation, the
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