AJP urges NHRC to stop police encounters in Assam
Guwahati Dec 20 PTI The Assam Jatiya Parishad AJP has urged the National Human Rights Commission NHRC to take appropriate action against alleged extra-judicial killings by the state police since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government assumed office Anti-social elements indulging in unlawful activities should be dealt with vigorously but once an alleged culprit is apprehended he must be given the chance to be tried judicially AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said in a letter to NHRC Chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra Gogoi and Bhuyan pointed out in the letter made available to the media on Monday that even the worst offender should face justice through due process of law though unfortunately the principle of natural justice has been repeatedly violated by the law enforcing agencies and more unfortunately this has been endorsed by the top functionary of the state The chief minister is on record saying that criminals can be shot in the legs if they try to escape Law says the police can only use minimum force and it doesnt mean police can fire on a fleeing person they said The letter said it was not acceptable to allow enforcing agencies to act without any sanction of law and the police force of any state must function within the limits set by the principle of justice The AJP is deeply worried and concerned over the unique pattern of such extra judicial killings and therefore appeals to the NHRC to take note of the same and take appropriate action The police may be very conveniently used by the party in power to suppress the legitimate rights of the people Gogoi and Bhuyan alleged According to reports a list prepared by Assam Police shows 28 people were killed from May till the end of November in police firing Two more people died in custody in early December while a third died in a police shootout a few days later and all deaths have been confirmed by the police A closer look at the list of those killed throws up certain patterns most belonged to ethnic or religious minorities in Assam Of the 30 people killed and identified so far 14 belonged to a religious minority and 10 were from the tribal communities Bodo Dimasa or Kuki who were reportedly facing police action for being alleged extremists According to Assam Police at least 55 people were also injured in police shootings between May 10 and December 10 Of these at least 30 are from a particular minority community The chief minister who also holds the home portfolio has repeatedly defended the state police about these custodial deaths and shootouts Sarma had said that shooting at criminals should be the pattern if they tried to escape even claiming that the law permitted it and such measures would be used until crime was wiped out from Assam The trend of extra judicial killings which seemed to deliver instant justice has set a dangerous precedent where police norms and guidelines could be flouted as a matter of course the leaders said The NHRC Chairperson in a press conference here last week had said that there is no place for fake encounters in a civilised society It is barbaric and cannot be allowed The law must take its own course At the same time we cannot generalise and allege that all encounters are fake Some may be fake and we will take up each complaint and examine the merit of each case he said PTI DG JRC JRC
Guwahati Dec 20 PTI The Assam Jatiya Parishad AJP has urged the National Human Rights Commission NHRC to take appropriate action against alleged extra-judicial killings by the state police since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government assumed office Anti-social elements indulging in unlawful activities should be dealt with vigorously but once an alleged culprit is apprehended he must be given the chance to be tried judicially AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said in a letter to NHRC Chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra Gogoi and Bhuyan pointed out in the letter made available to the media on Monday that even the worst offender should face justice through due process of law though unfortunately the principle of natural justice has been repeatedly violated by the law enforcing agencies and more unfortunately this has been endorsed by the top functionary of the state The chief minister is on record saying that criminals can be shot in the legs if they try to escape Law says the police can only use minimum force and it doesnt mean police can fire on a fleeing person they said The letter said it was not acceptable to allow enforcing agencies to act without any sanction of law and the police force of any state must function within the limits set by the principle of justice The AJP is deeply worried and concerned over the unique pattern of such extra judicial killings and therefore appeals to the NHRC to take note of the same and take appropriate action The police may be very conveniently used by the party in power to suppress the legitimate rights of the people Gogoi and Bhuyan alleged According to reports a list prepared by Assam Police shows 28 people were killed from May till the end of November in police firing Two more people died in custody in early December while a third died in a police shootout a few days later and all deaths have been confirmed by the police A closer look at the list of those killed throws up certain patterns most belonged to ethnic or religious minorities in Assam Of the 30 people killed and identified so far 14 belonged to a religious minority and 10 were from the tribal communities Bodo Dimasa or Kuki who were reportedly facing police action for being alleged extremists According to Assam Police at least 55 people were also injured in police shootings between May 10 and December 10 Of these at least 30 are from a particular minority community The chief minister who also holds the home portfolio has repeatedly defended the state police about these custodial deaths and shootouts Sarma had said that shooting at criminals should be the pattern if they tried to escape even claiming that the law permitted it and such measures would be used until crime was wiped out from Assam The trend of extra judicial killings which seemed to deliver instant justice has set a dangerous precedent where police norms and guidelines could be flouted as a matter of course the leaders said The NHRC Chairperson in a press conference here last week had said that there is no place for fake encounters in a civilised society It is barbaric and cannot be allowed The law must take its own course At the same time we cannot generalise and allege that all encounters are fake Some may be fake and we will take up each complaint and examine the merit of each case he said PTI DG JRC JRC
