Rajasthan served NHRC notice over alleged brutalities against Dalits

JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Rajasthan government over alleged police brutality against Dalits in the wake of the April 2 nationwide shutdown, a spokesperson said today.

The right's panel took suo moto cognizance of media reports alleging that several Dalits, falsely implicated in criminal cases, were jailed with no provision of bail even after six weeks of confinement.

Several incidents of abuse of power by the police on women and children were reported from the state, the panel said.

Citing media reports, the commission said a CRPF jawan, posted in Srinagar, who had come to attend to his sick mother, was allegedly dragged out of his house by the police on April 2.

He was severely beaten up and implicated in a false case in which he has been languishing in jail for almost a month now.

His plea for grant of bail has been rejected by the court, the NHRC statement said.

Reportedly, on the same day, the police personnel allegedly forced their way into the house of a government school teacher and beat him up, it added.

As per the reports, hundreds of other Dalits are also languishing in jails.

Seeking the Rajasthan chief secretary's reply within six weeks, the NHRC said the allegations of illegal arrest, physical torture and implication of people in false criminal cases raised serious issues of violation of human rights and were a matter of concern, the NHRC said.

The commission also sought the state government's response on the action taken against the culprits, it said.

The April 2 shutdown by Dalit groups to protest against alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, by a Supreme Court verdict led to violence and arson in different parts of the country, including Rajasthan.