IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, May 27: After “thoughtful consideration” of the allegations levelled by family members of some of the 21 Muslim prisoners lodged in the Bhopal central jail, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered constitution of a high-level team for spot investigation into the alleged physical torture and solitary confinement of the under-trial prisoners.
Nine family members including four women had visited the NHRC headquarters here on Thursday and made long presentation before NHRC member Justice D. Murugesan. They were accompanied by some civil rights including Kavita Srivastava and Madhuri Krishnaswami from People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL).
The family members of the prisoners, mostly in 30s and imprisoned in the Bhopal jail for last three and half years, told the NHRC that these prisoners have been tortured and harassed after the Bhopal encounter of Oct 2016. They also accused the jail authorities of doing religious discrimination with the prisoners.
The prisoners, the family members alleged, are being physically and mentally tortured in judicial custody, not being provided basic amenities and health care facilities and are being kept in solitary confinement and not being allowed to meet their relatives for more than five minutes.
Family members of Muslim prisoners in Madhya Pradesh visit NHRC in New Delhi on 24 May 2017. (Photo – IndiaTomorrow.net)
To probe the allegations, the NHRC has asked its DIG (Investigation) to constitute a team of officers under the leadership of SSP.
“The matter has been thoughtfully considered by the Commission and it is of the view that true facts need to be ascertained in the first instance. The DIG (I) of the Commission is requested to constitute a team of officers, headed by an SSP to conduct an on the spot investigation and submit their report at the earliest in respect of the truth or otherwise of the allegations made in the complaint,” NHRC said in its first order on the case registered as 1126/12/8/2017.
In the presentation, the family members also alleged that some of the prisoners informed the concerned court about the torture and also the state Human Rights Commission, but no action has been taken.
After meeting the NHRC on Thursday, Nazma Bi, wife of Mohd. Zubair, one of the under-trial prisoners, had told IndiaTomorrow.net, “My husband is in the central jail for last three and half years. After the Bhopal encounter, he has been tortured and harassed. He is not allowed to offer prayer and read Quran nor to sleep properly.
“Clothes are also not given to him. Only one bottle water (20L) is given to drink and take bath. Only 5 minutes are given to meet us, in which we are not allowed to talk freely as ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad) personnel are around us,” she had said while standing outside the NHRC headquarters.
ALSO READ: Muslim families allege custodial torture of Bhopal jail inmates, approach NHRC
