ID Number: 47489
Maker: Act Now for Harmony And Democracy (ANHAD); The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights; Nidhip Graphics
Technique: offset
Date Made: Circa 2002
Place Made: India
Measurements: 55.7 cm x 4.3 cm; 21 15/16 in x 1 11/16 in
Main Subject: Police Brutality
Materials: glossy paper (fiber product)
Digitized: Y

Full Text:
Hidden Apartheid State Violence In the village of Narketi the villagers said that the members MCC had come to their village and held a meeting regarding the collection of Tendu leaves. The MCC told the villagers that they were to stop collecting Tendu leaves as they were being paid only Rs. 32/- while in the neighbouring states of Bihar and MP Tendu collectors were earning as much as Rs. 60/- per 100 bundles. The police getting wind of this meeting entered the village. There were several rounds of firing. The next day the police returned without giving notice or showing a warrant entered the villager's houses and pulled out the women, beat them mercilessly, especially on their inner thighs and breasts; they even beat a five-year-old child who happened to be standing by. The Pradhan and other elders were thrashed with lathis. The police then proceeded to raid the houses, broke their dew possessions, demolished two houses and then stole their livestock. The next day they returned and rounded up 12 people, six of whom where released the next day while six were detained and have been in prison since May 16, 2002 without any bail being granted. The wife of one of the men arrested was pregnant at the time. She told the tribunal how the police have returned repeatedly to the village and tortured her. Her belly was probed with a lathi and foul language was used against her and other women. The Tribunal could find no justification for the detention in prison of six people from the 16th of May 2001 till date. The village is so remote that the IPT Panel reached the village with great difficulty. There is no road in the village, no school, no water for irrigation, no health centre for at least 25 kilometers. it is surprising that the local government has not ensured that even the most basic facilities have reached the village and when the village raised a legitimate demand of wage increase, the State unleashes a reign of terror. The indian People's tribunal (IPT) on Environment and Human Rights was invited by the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), PUCL Bulletin, June 2002 Act Now for Harmony and Democracy dalits, a people, a culture, a history NCDHR Printed by: Nidhip Graphics, M: 94260 16031 E-mail: [email protected]

Acquisition Number: 2005-190

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