Jharkhand rights movement writes to NHRC to probe police firing on protesters against thermal project

By Ashok Shrimali*
The Jharkhand Human Rights Movement has asked Satyabrata Pal, member, National Human Rights Commission, to urgently investigate and take "necessary legal action" on police firing, took place at Pagar village comes under Keredari police station of Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand at 1 pm on July 23, 2013, which led to death of Mr. Kesar Mahato and caused several injuries. The letter says, the incident took place when the villagers were protesting against the forced land acquisition by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for the proposed thermal power plant at Keredari. There was a clash between the villagers and the contractors on the issue of land acquisition as the villagers are not willing to surrender their land for the project.
"When contractors started the construction work in the village, the villagers protested against them and in response they contractors attacked the villagers, and when they went to the police station to file complaint the police took side of the contractors, which fueled the anger of the villagers", the letter reads.
"Consequently, the villagers started protest against the police, and in response to the villagers, the police fired on the crowd, which led to death of Kesar Mahato and caused severe injuries to several people. The injured persons were Ramesh Mahato Gajju Mahato, Rahul Kumar, Tulsi Mahato, Makhan Verma and Bhuneswar Ram.
Calling it a "clear case of gross violation of right to a dignified life of the victims guaranteed under the Article 21 of the Indian Constitution", the letter, written by Gladson Dungdung, General Secretary, JHRM, Ranchi, requests the NHRC for the following actions:
1. A high level investigation should be done on the case of police firing, which led to death of Kesar Mahato and caused several injuries.
2. A case should be filed under section 302 and others against the police officers and police personal, who were involved in the police firing.
3. A legal action should be taken against the police officers and police personal, who were involved in the police firing and suspended immediately.
4. A case should be also filed against the contractors and the officer-in-charge of the Keredari police station who took side of the contractors.
5. The family members of Kesar Mahato should be compensated with Rs 15 lakh along with a government job as he was the main earning person in the family.
6. The injured victims should be compensated with Rs 5 lakh each and the Government should provide them free medical support.
7. The land acquisition should be immediately withdrawn from the village.
---
* Ashok Shrimali is a Gujarat-based human rights activist

Comments

Gujarat's high profile GIFT city 'fails to attract' funds, India's FinTech investment dips

By Rajiv Shah While the Narendra Modi government may have gone out of the way to promote the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), sought to be developed as India’s formidable financial technology hub off the state capital Gandhinagar, just 20 km from Ahmedabad, a recent report , prepared by Tracxn Technologies suggests that neither of the two cities figure in the list of top FinTech funding receiving centres.

Why Ramdev, vaccine producing pharma companies and government are all at fault

By Colin Gonsalves* It was perhaps Ramdev’s closeness to government which made him over-confident. According to reports he promoted a cure for Covid, thus directly contravening various provisions of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. Persons convicted of such offences may not get away with a mere apology and would suffer imprisonment.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Decade long Modi rule 'undermines' people's welfare and democracy

By Ram Puniyani* Modi has many ploys up his sleeves when it comes to propaganda. On one hand he is turning many a pronouncements of Congress in the communal direction, on the other he is claiming that whatever has been achieved during last ten years of his rule is phenomenal, but it is still a ‘trailer’ and the bigger things are in the offing as he claims to be coming to power yet again in 2024. While his admirers are ga ga about his achievements, the truth lies somewhere else.

Belgian report alleges MNC Etex responsible for asbestos pollution in Madhya Pradesh town Kymore: COP's Geneva meet

By Our Representative A comprehensive Belgian report has held MNC Etex , into construction business and one of the richest, responsible for asbestos pollution in Kymore, an industrial town in in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. The report provides evidence from the ground on how Kymore’s dust even today is “annoying… it creeps into your clothes, you have to cough it”, saying “It can be deadly.”

Malayalam movie Aadujeevitham: Unrealistic, disservice to pastoralists

By Rosamma Thomas* The Malayalam movie 'Aadujeevitham' (Goat Life), currently screening in movie theatres in Kerala, has received positive reviews and was featured also on the website of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The story is based on a 2008 novel by Benyamin, and relates the real-life story of a job-seeker from Kerala tricked into working in slave conditions in a goat farm in Saudi Arabia.

Can universal basic income help usher in sustainable egalitarianism in India?

By Prof RR Prasad* The ongoing debate on application of Article 39(b) in the Supreme Court on redistribution of community material resources to subserve common good and for ushering in an egalitarian society has opened new vistas wherein possible available alternative solutions could be explored.

Plagued by opportunism, adventurism, tailism, Left 'doesn't matter' in India

By Harsh Thakor* 2024 elections are starting when India appears to be on the verge of turning proto-fascist. The Hindutva saffron brigade has penetrated in every sphere of Indian life, every social order, destroying and undermining the very fabric of the Constitution.

Press freedom? 28 journalists killed since 2014, nine currently in jail

By Kirity Roy* On the eve of the Press Freedom Day on 3rd of May, the Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) shared its anxiety with the broader civil society platforms as the situation of freedom of any form of expression became grimmer in India day by day. This day was intended to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of press and to pay tribute to pressmen who lost their lives in the line of duty.

'Livelihood crisis': Hundreds of Delhi sewer contract workers suddenly retrenched

By Sanjeev Danda* Sanitation workers in Delhi have been facing unemployment because of the inability of the government sector to properly integrate them. In a consultation meeting and dialogue with sanitation workers on 27th April 2024 at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, many such issues were raised by the sewer workers and waste pickers of Delhi.

Search This Blog