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 Orissa<br />
records, an arrest warrant was pending<br />
against an 18-year-old youth Papi<br />
Gochhayat. However, Lalbag police<br />
arrested the 35-year-old wife of one<br />
Sukadev Gochhayat, bearing the same<br />
name with the accused, and produced her<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e the court. The SDJM court also<br />
directed the authorities concerned to<br />
immediately release the innocent woman. 15<br />
On 17 January 2004, Tusharkanta<br />
Acharya was picked up and allegedly<br />
subjected to torture by the police personnel<br />
of the Laxmisagar police station in<br />
Bhubaneswar. He was subsequently<br />
detained <strong>for</strong> several days without being<br />
produced in the court and mercilessly<br />
beaten up in lock-up. Following a petition<br />
by the victim’s wife Snehanjali Acharya,<br />
in May 2004 the Orissa High Court<br />
directed the chief judicial magistrate,<br />
Khurda to investigate the alleged torture. 16<br />
On 16 June 2004, Prakash Sahu of<br />
Narendrapur village under Sarankul police<br />
station limits in Nayagarh district was<br />
picked up by the police after they allegedly<br />
caught him red handed while playing<br />
satta, gambling, with some locals inside<br />
the Jhadeswari Temple premises. In the<br />
police station Sahu was allegedly brutally<br />
beaten up by the policemen. He had to be<br />
rushed to the SCB Medical College and<br />
Hospital, Cuttack in critical condition. 17<br />
III. Violence against women<br />
There has been sharp increase of<br />
violence against women in Orissa. The<br />
white paper published by the State Home<br />
Department <strong>report</strong>ed a sharp increase of<br />
190<br />
incidents of atrocities on women in 2003.<br />
The white paper stated that there has been<br />
an increase of 4.9 per cent in rape - 725<br />
rape cases were recorded in 2003<br />
compared to 691 in 2002. 420 cases of<br />
dowry related deaths were <strong>report</strong>ed in<br />
2003, compared to 418 in the previous<br />
year. A total 1240 dowry related torture<br />
cares were <strong>report</strong>ed in 2003 compared to<br />
1040 in 2002. 18<br />
The law en<strong>for</strong>cement personnel were<br />
also responsible <strong>for</strong> alleged rape.<br />
On the night of 6 June 2004, a<br />
woman was allegedly gang raped by three<br />
policemen at the premises of the Bank of<br />
Baroda at Buxi Bazar under Cantonment<br />
police station limits. The victim was<br />
waiting <strong>for</strong> a rickshaw near the Bhartia<br />
Towers at Badambadi Bus Stand at<br />
around 8 pm to go to her brother’s house<br />
when two policemen offered her a lift,<br />
assuring to take her to her brother’s<br />
house. But the policemen took her to the<br />
Bank of Baroda premises, where another<br />
three policemen appeared. The policemen<br />
allegedly watched pornographic films,<br />
<strong>for</strong>ced her to drink liquor, and raped her<br />
<strong>for</strong> six hours from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. She<br />
was also allegedly beaten up and <strong>for</strong>ced<br />
to indulge in unnatural sex. At about 3<br />
a.m. they released her from the bank<br />
premises by offering her some money<br />
while threatening her with dire<br />
consequences if she spoke to any one<br />
about the incident. She escaped to her<br />
relative’s house at Kantilo village in<br />
Nayagarh district, from where the police<br />
recovered her on 23 June 2004, and sent