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The government is sitting pretty on the latest annual report of the state human rights commission for almost a year now while West Bengel chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee waxes eloquent over the state's human rights record.
The government did not place it along with the action taken report in the Assembly even though three House sessions have been held since the commission submitted it after the Pujas last year. The last report placed was for 1998-1999, added the commission. "The report is pending with the government for a long time. It should have been placed in the Assembly. We were neither informed about the reason for the delay nor about the status of the action taken report," said chairman of the commission Justice Mukul Gopal Mukhopadhyay on Thursday.
According to the commission, 458 detenus died in custody including 134 in police lock-up since 1995. The state recorded the highest in 1999-2000 with 84 custodial deaths including 39 in police custody. Deaths in jail have gone up to 55 in 2001-2002. Another 20, including four in police custody, were reported during March-June this year.
While many jail deaths occurred due to poor health of the inmates, the commission also pointed to inadequate medical facilities. Deaths from tortures particularly in police custody and cover-ups by the authorities were no less rampant, the report stated. Meanwhile, satisfied with the 'prima facie' report on the custodial torture on Kaushik Ganguly and others, arrested for having links with the People's War, the commission has ordered a further probe. "Our investigators have found corroboration of the allegations of torture," said an SHRC official.
It may take another six months though to conclude the findings. "The police and doctors have to be examined and tests are to be completed. Moreover, it is better not to come out with our findings when the case is sub-judice, though there are no legal fetters," he maintained.
"Surprise visits to the jails, police
stations or hospitals as ordered by the apex court showed that most of
the district policemen knew nothing about the SC directives, that are supposed
to be displayed at police stations. Though the DGP or other higher-ups
have issued circulars, that was not enough," rued Mukhopadhyay.
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