03-West Bengal Report.pdf - People's watch

FF Code : W.B./ Mon (Murari Dey)/
Hooghly/Mar-07/03/07/
Sl. NO.-23,24
Victim(s) : 1) Gurupada Das;
2) Prasanta Kumar Singh
Perpetrator(s) : 1) Priabrata Bakshi, OC;
2) POs, Singur PS
Location : Singur PS, Haripal District
Date of incident : 26/02/2007
West Bengal
198
Annual Report on Torture
2007
Case Details:
Victim Gurupada Das resides in Haripal District and is reportedly a CPI(M) supporter.
On 26 February 2007 at 12.30pm, about 500 members of the Krishi Jami Raksha Committee
(a committee for protecting agricultural land) were protesting against the land acquisition for a
proposed car factory at Singur.
Gurupada Das was collecting potatoes in his father-in-law Rampada Das’s field near the fence
separating Rampada Das’s land from that of Tata Motors at Singur. The police – led by OC
Priabata Bakshi – arrived, beat Gurupada Das, and arrested him without cause.
At almost the same time, Prashanta Kumar Singh was sitting beside the fence of the Tata Motors
land. The police led by the OC arrived and dragged him to the police van.
After fifteen minutes, when Committee members protested, the police released Prashanta Kumar
Singh. He fell unconscious.
Prashanta Kumar Singh went with Medha Patekar, a well-known social activist, to Singur PS to
a lodge a complaint. The Duty Officer received his complaint but refused to give Prashanta
Kumar Singh a copy.
Prashanta Kumar Singh went to the Singur Primary Health Centre for treatment, but the hospital
staff did not give him his medical report.
The next day, when Prashanta Kumar Singh went to the station to collect a copy of the complaint,
the Duty Officer chased him away.