PUCL questions credibility of Chhattisgarh DGP

PUCL questions credibility of Chhattisgarh DGP

Morung Express News

Dimapur | October 31

Clearly questioning the credibility of Chhattisgarh Deputy General of
Police (DGP) O P Rathor who had written to his Nagaland counterpart
stating that 'there was absolutely no basis nor hard facts' to such
'ambiguous allegations' made against the Naga IRB jawans, the
People's Union for Civil
Liberties (PUCL) Chhattisgarh has stated that it stands by its report
(along
with other Human Rights Organisations) on violation of people's rights
during the Salwa Judum campaign in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh
(based
on a visit of 14-member Team in November 2005).

"PUCL reports & record on human rights have never been found to be false &
baseless" stated Rajendra K Sail, President, Chhattisgarh PUCL in a press
communique Issued to The Morung Express and after going through the text of
the letter of the Director General of Police (DGP), Chhattisgarh O P
Rathor
addressed to the Nagaland counterpart.

"The PUCL Chhattisgarh would also like to state that the PUCL Reports on
human rights violations in Chhattisgarh during the last 30 years have
never
been found to be false and baseless. This is true not only in
Chhattisgarh,
but all over the country. These reports and record of the PUCL have stood
the test of times, and also the scrutiny of the courts in the country. In
fact, various courts, including the Supreme Court of India, have acted on
the PUCL reports and recommendations, and passed landmark judgments
upholding the findings of the PUCL", the statement pointed out.

The PUCL also informed that as recently as on July 20, 2006, the
Chhattisgarh High Court passed a landmark judgment in the case of
Custodial
Death of a Tribal, Ram Kumar Dhruv, and ordered the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) to thoroughly investigate the cause of death of Ram
Kumar Dhruv. As a result, four police personnel of Suhela Police Station,
Raipur, have been charged with murder u/s 302 Cr. P. C. along with two
government doctors who conducted false autopsy (Please see, Writ Petition
No. 2653 of 2004 :Forum of Fact Finding Documentation And Advocacy,
Raipur,
CG Versus State of Chhattisgarh. in the Chhattisgarh High Court,
Bilaspur).

As to the credibility of the Police Department headed by DGP O P
Rathor, the
PUCL pointed out that the Chhattisgarh High Court had to make the
following
observations:

"It appears to us that by paying a meagre sum of Rs. 5,00,000/- and
offering
some land to the widow of the deceased, a curtain has been attempted to be
drawn to cover up the very grave and apparent human right violations
committed by the very custodians of human persons and their liberties.
It we
may say so, the story of suicide by Ramkumar Dhruv by hanging himself
in the
toilet enacted by the police appears to us to be a concocted story and a
desperate attempt to avoid responsibility for the acts committed by A.S.I.
Subhash Kumar Pradhan and 4 other officials while Ramkumar was in
custody."

The above observation has been made by no less than the Chief Justice S.R.
Nayak and Justice D R Deshmukh. The High Court was compelled to observe
further about the police department of Chhattisgarh headed by O P
Rathor that

"It appears that they have attempted to pull the wool over the eyes of
this
Court".

"So much so for the credibility of police department headed by Sri O P
Rathor", the PUCL Chhattisgarh stated.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL would also like to remind the Chhattisgarh DGP that
the most reasonable demands raised by the The All India Team
(consisting of
creditable representatives from PUCL, PUDR, APDR, IAPL), and also by the
Independent Citizen's Initiative ( consisting of prominent citizens) in
their respective reports have received wide support, but the Chhattisgarh
Government is failing to adhere to any form of democratic process to
find a
peaceful solution to the "civil war-like situation" in Dantewada
District of
Chhattisgarh. These demands are:

1. That the government stop using people as a shield and creating armed
Village Defence Committees as part of its anti-naxal operations;

2. That paramilitary forces be withdrawn from the area and the civil
administration be resorted;

3. That all killings by the state, the Salwa Judum and the Maoists be
stopped;

4. That sincere dialogue with the Maoists be initiated, and a political
resolution to the situation be found;

5. That FIRs be registered for all crimes committed by Salwa Judum and
security forces and the culprits be prosecuted;

6. That the government and the CPI (Maoists) ensure that people return to
their homes in peace and security;

7. That people be assisted in regaining their livelihoods in their
villages
and camps be dismantled.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL also informed that the Reports of the All India Team
and the Independent Citizen's Initiative have also been translated into
Hindi and widely appreciated and well received by the democratic and
peace-loving citizens in Chhattisgarh.