Copy to Editor,
To,
Vikram Singh
DGP, Uttar Pradesh,
IBN Lahiri Marg
Lucknow
Sub: Complaint against the Hazratganj Police Personnel and request for initiation of strict displinary action
Dear Sir,
On August 1, 2009, a family from Kanpur had come to Lucknow to meet the governor and give him a application asking for inquiry into the serious injustice done to them by the police and judiciary in Kanpur. In a totally unprovoked response the Police at the Hazratganj thana took it on themselves to brutally beat up the family and their invalid son and forced them to leave Lucknow.
The victimized family has requested Saaksham Foundation an organization that address violations of child rights, women rights and human rights in Uttar Pradesh take up their case post very severe human rights violations faced by them at the hands of the UP Police Staff of Hazratganj Thana. Thus I am writing to you on behalf of the victims who have faced police brutality in Lucknow and are still being threatened in Kanpur.
Ramu Mishra a 24 year old youth had been shot at by Kuldeep Sachan, Ram Babu Gupta and Sarvesh Srivastava ON October 23 2006. The matter was brought to the Bhoglipur Kotwali in Kanpur. But instead of arresting the accused who were Samajwadi Party workers the police released them within five minutes of the FIR being lodged.
Following which the thana staff at Bhoglipur Kotwali continued to tamper with facts in the FIR and also threaten Ramu Mishra, who is now a invalid and bed ridden following serious injuries sustained after being shot at by Kuldeep Sachan and the other two named in the FIR.
On July 31 when Ramu lost the case in the lower courts in Kanpur he and his family gave up all hope and decided to seek justice from the Governor of the state of Uttar Pradesh. They came with a written application and reached the Governor house on Aug 1 2009. Please consider the following points:
-There was no demostartion or dharna done by Ramu who was on a stretcther and his poverty stricken family.
-Yet a SO from the Hazratganj thana turned up on the spot and started hurling abuses at them. He even told them that they w ill not be allowed to present the application to the governor as he is not interested in taking up such cases.
-Despite the gate staff of the governor house on Gate No. 3 agreeing to take the application from Basanti Devi, Ramu‘s mother the SO continued to harass them. The governor house staff also asked him not to interfere which do not come under his jurisdictionas as the gate staff was authorized to take any application brought by the people for the governor. But the SO did not listen.
-The SO continued to threaten and hurl abuses at Ramu and his family. He only relented when media persons turned up on the spot.
-But as soon as the media left, the SO Hazratganj (whom Ramu‘s mother can identify) called for two police jeeps and dragged Ramu‘ s brother to the jeep beating him with sticks. The forcibly tried to get him into the jeep. But when Ramu‘s mother Basanti Devi got into the middle and began pulling her son away from the jeep, the police beat her up as well.
-The SO clearly threatened them that their son would be taken to the thana and booked under Gangster Act and then be shot dead in an encounter.
-The pertrified family was terrorized for quite sometime and then forced into an ambulance. The driver of the ambulance was also beaten up and SO told them all to leave Lucknow immediately or face the consequences. He then ordered two police Gypsies to escort the ambulance to the outskirts of the city.
-Through out he kept threatening them that if they stop even for a moment their son will be shot dead.
As the above mentioned events are serious violations of the basic fundamental rights of an individual Saaksham Foundation on behalf of Ramu Mishra‘s family would like to request you to please get the matter investigated and order strict displinary action against those police personnel at Hazratganj Police Station who are responsible for such inhuman behavior.
Since the Ramu Mishra ´s family who are now in Kanpur are still receiving threats from the police and the culprits who shot Ramu. Thus we also like to request provisoin for police protection for the family in Kanpur who lives are in danger.
UP Police is increasingly becoming very autocratic in its approach towards protecting the weaker sections of the society. In July 2009 alone there have been over 4 cases of serious human rights violations and attacks on the common man by the police including a death of a labourer in Kanpur following police beating in custody. The people have lost faith in the law enforcement system. Hopefully you will look into the matter and ensure that incidents like the one that Ramu Mishra had to face are not repeated again.
Thanking You
for further details please contact:
Pramil Dwivedi
India Media Relations
+91 9839172462
[email protected]