India: activist's family intimidated
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Apr 14, 2014
- Event Description
On 14.04.2014 at about 11 pm, Mr. Biplab Karmakar; the Officer-in-Charge of Raninagar Police Station, Mr. Goutam Dutta; the Sub-Inspector of Raninagar Police Station and Mr. Sirajul Sahehin; the Assistant Sub-Inspector of Raninagar Police Station suddenly came to the said saw mill taking with other ten or twelve involved police constables by three "Zypsy' (four wheelers vehicle) cars while the victim was in duty. They started to chase the victim, Mr. Ripon without disclosing any reason while shouted to kill him "guli kore de shalader". Seeing the police personnel they came under fear and tried to take shelter in a hut in the said saw mill. But the police personnel surrounded the said hut from outside and caught him. The police personnel afterwards started to beat him black and blue and dragged him near the police vehicles. It is alleged that the police personnel threatened to break his legs and hands with the intention to permanently disable him physically after falsely implicating him into severe criminal charges. It was reported that those police personnel verbally abused him with filthy languages and said that they would teach him a lesson as his uncle Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar raised his voice against the alleged police atrocities in the district and they would illegally detain him for indefinite period. It was alleged that the police personnel continuously threatened him that they would teach everybody who would try to raise their voice against police and they would now show the power of police to his uncle Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar. The police personnel later put the victim into their car by giving him brutal physical torture and at the same time, the police personnel verbally abused him saying "chudir vai' (the brother of a prostitute). Mr. Babu Seikh, son of Mr. Lalu Seikh being a witness of the incident and also the neighbor of the victim informed our fact finding team that the police personnel without disclosing any reason attacked the victim while he was in duty in the aforesaid saw mill and threatened to implicate him falsely into severe criminal charges. He also informed our fact finding that the police personnel threatened to permanently disable him physically by giving him grievous physical torture. He also informed that the police personnel tried to prove that Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar made a mistake by raising his voice against them. It was informed by Mr. Mukul Seikh and Mr. Anarul Islam; the neighbors of the victim to our fact finding team that the police personnel had trouble when they came to know that Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar started to work as human rights activist and raised his voice against the alleged police atrocities. It was also alleged the police personnel took away Rs.8700/- cash from the possession of the victim. It was alleged that on the same day, Mr. Safikul Islam @ Tapan; the neighbor of the victim was also taken into the custody of the police personnel with the victim. It was alleged that on the date of the incident, Mr. Sahidul Islam (brother of the victim) and Mr. Abdul Majid (father of the victim) were informed about the whole incident by their neighbors and they went to Raninagar police station to meet with the victim. But the Officer-in-Charge of the said police station did not allow them to meet with the victim. They asked him to disclose about his refusal. The said officer suddenly started to use abusive languages by the name of Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar being the DHRM (District Human Rights Monitor) of MASUM and told them that they could meet with the victim if Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar would come to the police station and request them to release the victim. He also threatened them that the victim would be implicated falsely with severe criminal charges to teach a lesson to Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar. It was alleged that the police personnel afterwards implicated the victim and Mr. Safikul Islam into a criminal case vide Raninagar Police Station Case No. 158/2014 dated 15.04.2014 under sections 3/4/5/6 of Explosive Substances Act. It was alleged that the victim was repeatedly tortured by the police personnel in the said police station for whole night. He was not provided with any medical assistance while he was undergoing with severe pain and the police personnel did not provide any water or foods to him while he was in illegal detention. On 15.4.2014 the victim and Mr. Safikul Islam were produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Lalbagh in connection with the aforesaid case by the police personnel of Raninagar police station in handcuffing. The advocate for the victim stated by filing written application in the court that he was subjected to custodial torture in the police station. The court observed several hematoma and bruises over the body of two accused persons and passed order upon Lalbagh Sub-Correctional Home to provide proper treatment but rejected their bail application and at present they are in judicial custody at Lalbagh Sub-Correctional Home. Our fact finding team called Mr. Biplab Karmakar on 14.04.2014 at about 11.43 pm and asked him whether he arrested the victim from the saw mill or not. The said officer replied it as yes and started to threaten our fact finding by saying that Mr. Ajimuddin Sarkar made a mistake by raising his voice against police. He would face dire consequences due to that. He also threatened our fact finding stating that MASUM (Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha) could do nothing to save him. They do not bother about the activities of MASUM and they have enough power to eliminate the name of MASUM from Murshidabad district and would torture all those persons who are attached with MASUM. He said to our fact finding team MASUM would not do anything if they would kill the victim. Afterwards, our local activist asked that said officer to disclose the reason of physical torture upon the victim. He replied that they would permanently disable the victim by breaking his legs and hands and would put in the breaking parts on his back. On 15.04.2014 and 16.04.2014 respectively the father of the victim and Mr. Ajimud. din Sarkar being the uncle of the victim lodged written complaints before the Superintendent of Police, Murshidabad informing the whole incident of police torture, false implication and illegal detention of the victim. But till date no action has been taken in response to the said complaints.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of association
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 24.1759039
Longitude: 88.2801785
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 14 April 2014, MASUM district human rights monitor Ajimuddin Sarkar's nephew, Mr. Ripon Seikh, and his neighbour, Mr. Safikul Islam, were severely beaten and arrested. Police chased, verbally abused, threatened with death, and beat the two, before arresting them under the Explosive Substances Act. The arresting officers allegedly made a verbal connection between Ajimuddin's human rights work and their arrest of his nephew. On 15 April, Mr. Seikh and Mr. Islam were produced before a magistrate and denied bail despite their injuries. On 15 and 16 April, complaints were lodged with the police department by family members, but there has been no response from police.