Hem Mishra, Maroti Kurvatkar, and G Naga Saibaba demand strict action against guilty police personnel.
(Below is the English Translation of a Press Note issued in Marathi by Hem Mishra, Maroti Kurvatkar and G.N. Saibaba)
PRESS NOTE
POLICE BEAT UP PRISONER ON PRISON PREMISES
THE CASE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, JNU STUDENT, HEM MISHRA
The Nagpur police abused and beat up Hem Keshavdutt Mishra, student of Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University and Political Prisoner presently lodged in Nagpur Central Prison over the issue of applying handcuffs. They attacked him cruelly and injured him. This illegal and inhuman act of the police occurred just outside the prison gate within the prison premises on 20-03-2015 at around 10-00 a.m. when Hem Mishra was being taken for medical treatment to the Government Medical Hospital.
The Supreme Court has long ago ordered that handcuffs should not be applied and ropes should not be tied to prisoners being taken from prison to court or hospital. This provision has also been incorporated in the Criminal Manual and the Jail Manual. Besides, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Office of the Director General of Police has also issued a circular in this regard.
As per this, the police have been given clear orders not to apply handcuffs or tie ropes to prisoners being taken from the prison to the court or hospital. In case, in an exceptional circumstance, there is a need to apply handcuffs or tie ropes then it is necessary to take the permission of the concerned court. But the Maharashtra police are openly violating the orders of the Supreme Court.
On 20-03-2015, when undertrial prisoner Hem Mishra was being taken to the Government Medical Hospital for medical treatment he informed the police of these orders of the Supreme Court. But the police without bothering tried to forcibly apply handcuffs. When he again tried to explain to them, the police abused him and beat him up. Further, they cruelly attacked him and injured him. They tore his clothes and also threatened to “see” him.
These acts of the police are unconstitutional and illegal. They are also a violation of the orders of the Supreme Court. The victim has therefore sent a complaint to the Dhantoli Police Station through the Prison Superintendent calling for registration of an offence against the concerned guilty persons in this case and for their arrest. A complaint regarding this incident has also been made to the concerned court, the Principal Judge, Gadchiroli Sessions Court.
Hem Mishra, G.N. Saibaba, Maroti Kurvatkar, have vide Press Release demanded that strict action should be taken against the guilty in this case.
Yours faithfully,
1) Hem Mishra -sd-
2) Maroti Kurvatkar -sd-
