Political prisoner alleges torture, rights violations in Buxar Central Jail

By A Representative

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a collective of civil society and rights organizations, has issued a statement highlighting allegations of serious human rights violations inside Buxar Central Jail, Bihar. These claims are based on a 17-page handwritten letter sent by Vijay Kumar Arya, an undertrial prisoner currently lodged in Buxar Jail.

Arya, who was arrested in 2022 on charges related to alleged membership in the banned CPI (Maoist), has alleged instances of physical and mental torture, denial of basic facilities, and violation of prison rules. The letter describes alleged systemic issues within the prison, including poor food quality, denial of medical care, and the absence of basic amenities.

According to Arya, the alleged ill-treatment began after a hunger strike was launched by inmates at Beur Jail on 29 September 2024. The protest, he claims, was against irregularities in the food served and treatment of prisoners. Following this, Arya and another accused, Promod Mishra, were transferred to Buxar and Bhagalpur jails, respectively.

Arya alleges that on his arrival at Buxar Central Jail, he was physically assaulted with batons, subjected to forced physical exercises, and denied access to pain relief or medical care. He further claims that his personal items, including educational materials and basic utensils, were taken away or discarded. He also alleges that other prisoners faced similar treatment, including forms of punishment referred to as "Sridevi style" beatings.

In one instance noted in the letter, Arya alleges that a prisoner who led a food boycott on 15 September 2024 was subjected to beatings and verbal abuse. When one prisoner attempted suicide, Arya claims the individual was again beaten.

The letter also raises concerns about the denial of access to writing materials, overcharging for food and hygiene items, and what Arya alleges is a pattern of administrative transfers being used as a punitive measure.

CASR, in its statement, has called for an independent inquiry into the allegations and expressed concern for Arya’s safety following the disclosure. The organization has urged other civil rights groups to take note of the situation and seek accountability from the concerned authorities.

As of now, jail or state officials have not issued a public response to the allegations.

The 'Dr' debate masks a larger crisis in allied-health education

By Dr P K Gupta* India’s allied-health professions have long operated in a fragmented landscape of universities, hospitals, State authorities and private institutions, each with its own nomenclature, curriculum and standards. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 was meant to correct this by creating a unified national framework for education, professional regulation and institutional recognition. Few dispute the need for such oversight. The real question is whether standardisation is quietly becoming synonymous with longer courses, additional internships and new professional titles—changes that risk masking deeper gaps in clinical training, institutional capacity and affordability.

Arrival of USS Lincoln: A ‘leisure trip’ to Thailand or a neo-colonial move to commodify women?

By Benyasiri Eimviriyapong The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) for a ‘leisure trip’ in Thailand before returning to its campaign of destruction against the people of West Asia demands immediate interrogation and opposition. For us Thai people, and those in sites of American plunder across the globe, this a rattling of the US’ cold war colonial chains on its most loyal lap dog, while conducting a war of aggression in Iran and the ongoing genocide in Palestine. In allowing the USS Lincoln to dock, the Thai ruling elites are once again facilitating a system of imperial violence that extends far beyond Southeast Asian borders, a system which in our case, is predicated on sexual violence and femicide.

Pilgrimage or pollution? The waste crisis of Indian faith

By Raj Kumar Sinha* In today's times, there are certain issues that are constantly talked about and discussed, yet no visible impact seems to be made. Beyond water, soil, and pollution, one crisis that continues to be overlooked is waste. Like other life-threatening problems, waste too is gradually moving toward burying and obliterating us. After the Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar, approximately 8,000 tonnes of waste were left behind on the riverbanks, including bottles filled with urine.

Counterview

Search This Blog