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From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in> Date: Thu Aug 26, 2004 Subject: Pregnant Dalit woman assaulted by West Bengal police(fwd) ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM 24 August 2004 UA-109-2004: INDIA: Pregnant Dalit woman assaulted by West Bengal police INDIA: Caste discrimination; Arbitrary police assault ------------------------------------------------------- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its partner organisation in West Bengal, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) that a pregnant Dalit woman, Lilabati Chowdhury, was brutally beaten by a police patrol party of the Beharampore police station at midnight on 7 August 2004. After the assault, Lilabati was admitted to the Baharampur Block Hospital in the Karnasubarna area, where it was reported that the condition of her baby was uncertain. Furthermore, several uniformed policemen came to the hospital and warned Lilabati not to speak to anybody about the incident. Notwithstanding, no action has been taken against those responsible. AHRC notes with great concern that these arbitrary acts of violence and assault by police officers throughout India occur with great frequency. Furthermore, no action is taken against the responsible officers, particularly when the violence is committed against members of scheduled castes or minorities. Your urgent action to address this issue is required. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ------------------------------------------------------- SUGGESTED ACTION: Please write to the authorities below to express your serious concern at the assault of Lilabati by the police. 1. Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharyya Chief Minister and Home Minister of West Bengal Writers Buildings, Kolkata-1 West Bengal INDIA Fax: +91-33-2214 5480 Email: cm@w... {mailto:cm@w...} 2. Justice Shyamal Kumar Sen Chairman West Bengal Human Rights Commission Bhavani Bhavan Alipur, Kolkata-27 West Bengal INDIA Fax: +91-33-2479 9633 Email: wbhrc@c... 3.* *Justice J. S. Anand National Human Rights Commission Sardar Patel Bhaven, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 110 001 INDIA Tel: +91 11 2 334 0891 / 2334 7065 Fax: +91 11 2 334 0016 E-mail: nhrc@r... {mailto:nhrc@r...} 4. The Chairperson The National Commission for Women 4, Deendayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi 110 002 INDIA E-mail: member_secretary@n... {mailto:member_secretary@n...} 5. Dr. Bizay Sonkar Shastri Chairman National Commission for SCs/STs 5th Floor, Loknayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi-110 003 Tel: +91 11 2 4632298 / 2 4620435 E-mail: chairman-ncscst@n... {mailto:chairman-ncscst@n...} 6. Mr. Doudou Diene Special Rapporteur on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance Room 4-041 OHCHR Palais Wilson, Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva SWITZERLAND Tel: +41 22 9179271 Fax: +41 22 9179050 -------------------- DETAILED INFORMATION: *Victim:* Lilabati Chowdhury, wife of Chhutka Chowdhury, belongs to the scheduled caste (Dalits) *Perpetrators:* Police force of Beharampore Police Station, Murshidabad District, West Bengal, India *Date of incident*: 7 August 2004 *Time of incident*: about midnight (12 ‘o’ clock) *Place of incident: *Pakamati-Mohula (village), Murshidabad, West Bengal Lilabati Chowdhury, seven months pregnant and mother of two children, was brutally beaten by a police patrol party of the Beharampore police station at midnight on 7 August 2004. The police officers had entered Lilabati's mud house allegedly looking for her husband and had prodded her awake with their batons. Lilabati had been sleeping in the courtyard with her children. Lilabati's husband, Chhutka Chowdhury, is a daily wage laborer who catches fish in his spare time. The Chowdhury family belong to the Dalit community and are very poor. On the night of August 7, Chhutka was fishing in the nearby river, which is what Lilabati told the police. However, the police continued searching for him in other houses. Desperately, Lilabati asked the police why they were being harassed when there was no complaint against them, which was confirmed by the subsequent statement of the neighboring villagers. Lilabati also protested against the vulgar language used by the police towards her. The police then brutally assaulted Lilabati with their batons, seriously injuring a woman who was heavily pregnant. Lilabati was admitted to the Baharampur Block Hospital in the Karnasubarna area, where it was reported that the condition of her baby was uncertain. Furthermore, several uniformed policemen came to the hospital late at night without informing the hospital authority and warned Lilabati not to speak to anybody about the incident. The policemen also left Rs.100 on Lilabati's bed and told her to purchase some fruits with the money. The next day, the medical officer at the hospital said that while he was informed by hospital staff that some male policemen in uniform had come to the hospital and had gone directly to the female ward last night, the police officers did not obtain permission, nor had they been informed of their visit. When asked about the entire incident, the Deputy Police Super of Murshidabad district, Sahabul Hossein, said, "I do not know of any such incident. No one has reported anything to me. After proper enquiry, steps will be taken if necessary." The villagers stated that Chhutka's family was innocent and were not involved with any disputed village affairs. They failed to understand why the police assaulted Lilabati in her house. As of yet, no action has been taken against those responsible. AHRC notes with great concern that these arbitrary acts of violence and assault by police officers throughout India occur with great frequency. Furthermore, no action is taken against the responsible officers, particularly when the violence is committed against members of scheduled castes or minorities. |
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August26, 2004 - [India Thinkers Net]BJP'S NEW STUNT >> |
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