[IMC-Editorial] [India Thinkers Net] CHRO updates (#1-4) 19th Dec 2003

Fri Dec 19 09:50:34 PST 2003

CHRO updates 

#1Newindpress.com, Dec. 18, 2003, Thursday

17 Armymen involved in rape, molestation cases: RS informed

PTI

NEW DELHI: One Army officer and 16 other ranks were involved in cases relating to rape, molestation and harassment of women during the last one year, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

The cases are at various stages of trial or investigation, Minister of State for Home ID Swami said in a written reply.

He said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had received a complaint alleging molestation and harassment of students of Shopian Girls Higher Secondary School and Shopian Government College in south Kashmir by Army jawans camping at Chaudhary Gund.

Based on this complaint, the NHRC has called for a report from the Defence Ministry, and Jammu and Kashmir Government, Swami said.

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#2
The Hindu, December 19, 2003, Friday

SHRC notice to police chief on custodial death 

By K.T. Sangameswaran 

CHENNAI DEC. 18. The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued notice to the Chennai Police Commissioner directing him to submit by December 31 a report on the death of a youth allegedly in police custody on Saturday last. He has also been ordered to submit the post-mortem report and a videograph of the autopsy. 

The commission acted on a telegraphic petition submitted by C.K. Thamizharasan, MLA, who said Govindan, a Dalit, and member of the Republican Party of India (RPI) died after the Pulianthope police had picked him up on a ``frivolous charge'' of altercation at a shop. 

Mr. Thamizharasan sought an enquiry by the commission and dismissal of the police official concerned. 

In his report, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pulianthope district, submitted that sub-inspector Dilli Babu, who was on patrol duty, picked up Govindan and his brother Babu on December 13 in connection with a quarrel at the shop, based on a complaint by Kumar, a video shopowner. 

During enquiry, Babu gave a counter complaint against Kumar, which was also registered. Govindan, who was suffering from fever, took a tablet. After some time, he developed symptoms of fits and his brother took him to a private hospital and from there to the Stanley Hospital, where Govindan died. A case was registered (in connection with the death) and referred the matter to the Collector for an enquiry.

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#3
Newindpress.com, December 19, 2003, Friday

India forwards request for extradition of Union Carbide chairman

PTI

NEW DELHI: The government has forwarded to the US government a request for extradition of Warren Anderson who was the chairman of Union Carbide Corporation when the infamous Bhopal gas leak occurred.

"Government of India has forwarded the extradition request in respect of Warren Anderson, the then chairman of Union Carbide Corporation, USA, In may 2003 to the embassy of India, Washington, which has since been forwarded by embassy to the US department of state and Department of Justice," Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Chhatra Pal Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Friday in written reply to a query.

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#4

KERALA POLICE WATCH  

Pushpavalli's Story, House Committee's Experience

Thiruvananthapuram : Pushpavalli, a school teacher married to a policeman by whom she has two children, complained that her husband had thrown her out of the house which she had helped build by availing herself of a Provident Fund(PF) loan. She told the Kerala Legislative Committee on women that her husband was now co-habiting in the same house with another woman with whom he had a child. 

However, all these allegations were denied before the committee by the second woman, who claimed that her child was fathered by her sister's husband. Ironically, this person also came forward to claim that he, not the policeman, was the father of the child. 

The police inquiry report was vague, with the conclusion that the "allegations have not been proved". Pushpavally told the committee that she was still paying back a substantial amount from her salary towards clearing the PF loan and that she had no other means of bringing up her children. 

This is one of the numerous complaints against the police, including allegations of inaction in investigating cases wherein police personnel figured as the accused, dominated the issues which came up for hearing at a sitting of the Legislative Committee on women, children and the physically challenged, held at Thiruvananthapuram on December 17, 2003. 

The committee, chaired by Savithri Lakshmanan, MLA, pointed out that of the 40 pending complaints that had been taken up, the majority of cases pertained to the negligence shown by the police in investigating cases. The accused in about 10 cases were serving policemen. 

Though the committee had in its earlier sittings asked the police to inquire into these complaints, no reports had been sent to the committee so far, Ms. Lakshmanan said. "The committee was unable to help out the complainants in many cases because of the lack of inquiry reports from the police. The accused in these cases get away lightly even when these cases reach courts as no proper investigation has been done," she said. Pushpavalli's complaint is an example as it had already appeared before the committee several times. 

Ms. Lakshmanan said there had been no departmental action in this case against the accused and it was very evident that the police were trying to put the case on the back-burner. "I have advised the complainant to secure a court order for conducting a DNA test so as to prove that her husband is having an illicit relationship," the MLA said. 

Another complaint pertained to a case at Vilappilsala police station in which a man had killed his wife and raped his daughter. The local police were trying to shield the accused, it was alleged. 

The committee pointed out that there has been no police action in a case in which a driver, Sasidharan, of the police department had sexually harassed a woman residing at Sreekaryam. There were also complaints of how the police were using technicalities to scuttle the filing of cases against those in the department. 

The committee also hauled up the departments of Social Welfare and General Education and Cotton Hill School for not submitting reports that had been sought by the committee before, on complaints received against them. Fifty cases were heard in all and 65 new petitions were taken on file by the committee. There were complaints galore before the committee on various problems of the physically challenged. 

The committee has its hands full at present, dealing with the problems of women and children, it was pointed out. Considering the huge number and gravity of problems faced by the physically challenged, the committee members felt it might be better if a separate committee was set up to handle the problems of the handicapped. 

The meeting was attended by other committee members, Girija Surendran and Maleth Saraladevi, both MLAs, the City Police Commissioner, Rajan Singh, the Rural SP and all senior police officials. 

(Acknowledgement/Courtesy : C. Maya, "The Hindu", Dec. 18, 2003)

for CHRO
Mukundan C. Menon
Secretary General

CHRO
3, Rams' Cottage
Ambalathumukku
Pettah
Thiruvananthapuram-695 024
(Ph.: 0471-2476262)

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