The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) concluded its two day camp sitting at Raipur on Friday. Earlier on the opening day (Thursday) NHRC took up 27 cases for hearing in the Full Commission and Division Bench Sittings. Six cases were closed after satisfactory replies from the State Government. The Commission has recommended about Rs20 lakh as monetary relief in different cases of human rights violations.
As per official information, NHRC took up the uterus removal cases which have been a source of trouble for state BJP Government. The commission asked the State Government to submit a detailed report within four weeks over the issue in which it was alleged that 7000 hysterectomies — uterus removal surgeries were carried out by unscrupulous doctors in 169 hospitals in Chhattisgarh, to claim money under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). The Health Secretary informed that the licenses of nine doctors in Raipur have already been suspended to carry out such operations. On being asked whether the State Government has made an inquiry about such incidents in other parts of the State, the Chief Secretary assured the Commission that random checking would be made in other districts of the State and if any case of unethical practice is found, stringent action would be taken against the offenders.
In the Kanker Jhaliyamari ashram gang-rape of 11 minor tribal girls by the teacher and chowkidar of a Government tribal hostel the Commission was informed that all the victims have been paid a compensation of Rs2 lakh each from the CM’s Relief Fund and a number of steps have been taken for their rehabilitation. Preventive steps were taken by the State Government to curb such incidents. These include restrictions on the entry of men in girls’ hostels. If needed to enter, men would be accompanied by a female staff. Monthly medical check-ups are carried out on all residents. The Commission has asked the State Government to submit a detailed report about the steps taken by the State Government for rehabilitation of the victim girls so that they could be considered by the Commission for adoption by other states.
In another case of gang-rape of minor girl in the Government run Amandula Tribal Hostel in Balod District, the Commission has asked the State Government to pay compensation of Rs1.25 lakh in addition to Rs25,000 already paid to the victim under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules. The Commission has also asked the State to bear cost of her school/college education and her rehabilitation.
In the matter of torture of Soni Sori in police custody, the Commission had sent its two member team to Jagdalpur Jail on April 10, 2013 to meet her to know her condition. Soni Sori informed the team that she has been treated better since the NHRC’s last visit. The Commission has expressed the hope that jail authorities would continue to give proper treatment to Soni Sori in the jail.
In the cases of death in police action taken up in sitting of the Division Bench, the Commission was not satisfied with the reports submitted by the SP, SIB, Police Headquarters, Raipur in the matter of alleged killing of seventeen Tribal including four women in an alleged encounter between a group of naxalites and a police party on January 8, 2009 near village Singaram in Dantewada district. The Commission observed that there were several serious shortcomings in the police investigation, coupled with the evidence of autopsies, they raised serious doubts about the encounter. The Commission directed the DGP, Chhattisgarh to seek an explanation of the officer who conducted investigation in the case.
The Commission also took up the case of custodial death of one Santosh Dahriya, an accused of kidnapping and raping a minor girl.
The victim died due to alleged torture during police custody in Raipur on February 19, 2012. Upon consideration of the reports, the Commission was of the view that it is a case of gross violation of human rights of a jail inmate — violation of the most precious human right, right to life. The Commission found it to be a fit case for granting monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased. The State Government gracefully agreed to comply with the recommendation, if any made by the Commission to grant monetary relief in the case. Accordingly, the Commission recommended to the State Government to pay Rs3 lakhs as monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased Santosh Dahriya.
In the case of death of Kunjami Joga in an alleged fake encounter in Kurtrem, Dantewada, the Commission held that the victim was an innocent villager who was killed, perhaps not intentionally, by the police and therefore it would be appropriate for the State to offer some relief to the next of the kin of the deceased.
In response to the Show Cause Notice issued by the Commission, the Chief Secretary submitted that the State would abide by the recommendations made by the Commission for award of monetary relief in the matter. Hence, the Commission recommended monetary relief of Rs5 lakh to the next kin of the deceased.
In the case of death of a naxalite Ramesh Barumana during encounter with police on May 13, 2009, the Commission on consideration of the reports received from concerned authorities, found it to not to be a genuine encounter and had issued notice to the Government of Chhattisgarh to show cause as to why it should not recommend monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased.
The State Govt. gracefully agreed that recommendations of the Commission would be carried out by them.
Accordingly, the Commission recommended to the State Government to pay Rs5 lakh as monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased.