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 Uttar Pradesh<br />
On 19 May 2004, 80-year-old widow,<br />
Mangla Devi, allegedly died due to brutal<br />
beating by four constables headed by Sub-<br />
Inspector, Amod Kumar Singh who raided<br />
her Kanghi Tola residence in Sarai Maali<br />
Khan area of Thakurganj, Lucknow. The<br />
police team had gone to arrest Mangla<br />
Devi’s son Suresh, an accused in a robbery<br />
case. But not finding Suresh in the house,<br />
the cops vent their ire on the weak and frail<br />
woman. An hour after they had left the<br />
house, the widow succumbed to her fatal<br />
injuries. In-charge of Kakori police<br />
station, senior sub-inspector AK Singh,<br />
Sub-Inspector Amod Kumar Singh and<br />
four constables identified as Gajendra<br />
Singh, Ram Parvesh, Asharfi Lal and Sri<br />
Pal, were <strong>report</strong>edly suspended following<br />
public protest. An inquiry <strong>report</strong> submitted<br />
by additional Superintendent of Police<br />
(Rural areas) found that charges against<br />
the cops were prima facie true. 9<br />
On 7 July 2004, a 35-year-old<br />
mechanic identified as Rajiv Sharma s/o<br />
Vishnu Avtar Sharma allegedly died in the<br />
police custody of the Sadar police station<br />
of Meerut. He was picked up from his<br />
house at 10 am on 6 July 2004 by the police<br />
from Sadar police station <strong>for</strong> interrogation<br />
in connection with his alleged involvement<br />
in a theft case of 12 gms of gold ornament<br />
in June 2004. During interrogation the<br />
police allegedly brutally beat him up and<br />
resorted to third degree torture. Apart from<br />
these, he was allegedly <strong>for</strong>ced to drink<br />
excess of water while being beaten up.<br />
After his death, the police allegedly tried to<br />
give the incident a suicidal colour and sent<br />
his body to the district government<br />
hospital. The police officials wanted the<br />
deceased to be admitted there, but the<br />
doctor on duty refused. Later the police<br />
claimed that Sharma’s body was found<br />
hanging from a ventilation window inside<br />
the toilet of the police lock-up room.<br />
Following Sharma’s custodial death the<br />
local residents attacked the police station<br />
and torched some police vehicles. Seven<br />
police officials were <strong>report</strong>edly suspended<br />
after a preliminary enquiry. 10<br />
On the night of 3 August 2004,<br />
Bhanumati, a pregnant Dalit, was allegedly<br />
brutally beaten up by policemen at Simra<br />
village in Pilibhit district. She died the next<br />
day of the beating. The husband of the<br />
deceased, Rameshwar Jatav lodged a<br />
complaint against the police. 11<br />
On 1 February 2004, four persons,<br />
including Jalaun district’s Samajwadi<br />
Party chief Surendra Niranjan and his<br />
brother Mahendra, were killed and over<br />
two dozens people were <strong>report</strong>edly injured<br />
in police firing at Konch police station in<br />
Jalaun district. Samajwadi Party district<br />
chief Surendra Niranjan and his brother<br />
led a mob to the police station in protest<br />
against the detention of some people on<br />
the night of January 30 following the death<br />
of a person in a group clash. 12<br />
On 24 October 2004, one person was<br />
killed in police firing and nine, including<br />
six policemen, were injured in clashes<br />
between the police and a group of persons<br />
who laid siege to the Bakhira police station<br />
in Sant Kabir Nagar. The group attacked<br />
the police station following rumours that<br />
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