Disposing of a petition filed by under-trial prisoner Sushil Dhalsamant’s father Saroj Dhalsamant, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha Prison IG to take appropriate action to redress the grievance of the petitioner. The commission, which passed the order on Thursday, has also asked the Prison IG to inform the petitioner within eight weeks about the action taken in the matter.
The senior Dhalsamant in his petition had alleged that his son, who is now lodged in the Baleswar district jail, is suffering from multiple ailments and is deprived of proper medical treatment. “What has complicated my son’s health condition is perpetual mental harassment and unbearable physical torture in the jail. The jail authorities are hand-in-glove with some people outside the jail to make my son suffer every day,” the petition said.
Sushil and his elder brother Sushant were arrested by the Commissionerate police in January last year for allegedly murdering two gangsters and were lodged in the Choudwar jail. But two months after, Sushil was shifted to the Baleswar jail and his brother sent to the Bhubaneswar jail. As a result, their 76-year-old father, who stays in Cuttack city, is unable to meet the sons in the jails due to old age and bad health.
In his petition, the senior Dhalasamant has mentioned that Sushil had brought to the notice of the jail doctor about his health conditions and to the jail superintendent about the incidents of mental and physical tortures. “Even during the routine production before the trial court, my son has brought these issues to the notice of the court. Though the court had asked for a report from the jail, no action has been taken so far,” the petition said.