acid

 

MASUM team met victim girl and family at their residence

 

 

To

The Acting Chairman

National Human Rights Commission

Manav Adhikar Bhavan

Block- C, GPO Complex

INA

New Delhi – 110023

 

Respected Sir

 

I want to draw your attention over repeated incidents of acid throwing upon a minor girl belongs to Schedule Caste community. The girl is the daughter of a local panchayet member. Her mother; the panchayet member, is instrumental against the atrocities committed by the local police and posted Border Security Force personnel. This is only the one part of the fact; but another part is more shocking and horrid. The police personnel of local police station shamelessly trying to shield the culprits and violate the procedure related to registration of complaint and grievance. Their act is in total connivance with the culprits. The acquiescence of police with the miscreants having political patronage is to teach a lesson to the mother of the victim girl with vengeance. The mother often vociferously condemned police and BSF atrocities at the said area. Involvement of Mr. Surajit Thakur; a Sub Inspector of Raninagar police station with this heinous crime has crossed every limit of judicial propriety.

The victim girl was attacked with corrosive substances for two consecutive days; first day the culprit attempted but failed to hurt the victim but second day the substance hit the body of the victim and she was grievously injured; the police registered a complaint on the first day and section 326 (B) of Indian Penal Code was charged but refused to register the complaint of the mother on second day’s incident which definitely attract section 326 (A) of IPC. The police violated the legal provisions to register FIR on cognizable offences. Mr. Surajit Thakur even tried to hamper the proceeding of statement recording under section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code.

The incident was in total contravention of articles 3(1), 6 and 9 of United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child and article 1 of Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials; adopted by General Assembly resolution 34/169 of 17 December 1979. Law Commission of India in its 226thReport elaborately discussed the problem of Acid attack and made some recommendations which should be adhered to.

I am attaching a detail of the incident and demand for:-

  • Immediate and adequate protection of the victim girl
  • Independent investigation over the incidents
  • Proper legal actions against the culprits
  • Proper actions against the police personnel for their illegalities and misconducts
  • Financial compensation

Sincerely Yours

 

(Kirity Roy)

Secretary- MASUM

National Convener- PACTI

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Name and details of the victim  Ms. Purobi Mondol (12 years) daughter of Mr. Pran Ballav Mondol; resident of village – Char Rajapur, Police Station – Raninagar, District – Murshidabad

Details of Secondary victim –  1.Father – Mr. Pran Ballav Mondol (50 years)  2.Mother –Mrs. Bithika Mondol 3. Elder sister – Prabali Mondol

Name and Details of Perpetrators– 1.  Mr. Hiren Mondol son of late Jogindra Mondol 2. Mr. Surojit Thakur, Sub Inspector; Raninagar Police Station

Date and Time of the incident  –  On 20th May 2015 at 1.30 pm and on 21st May 2015 at 9 am.

Place of the incident –   In the residence of Mr. Pran Ballav Mondol

Details of the incident –  Mrs. Bithika Mondol, mother of Ms. Purobi Mondol is an ICDS worker by profession and also the head (prodhan) of local gram panchayet. Besides his husband Mr. Pran Ballav Mondol she has two daughters namely Ms. Prabali Mondol (20 years), and Ms. Purobi Mondol (12 years).

Mr. Hiren Mondol son of late Jogindra Mondol is very renowned anti social of that locality. He has political patronage from local political groups. Often he and his companions tried to harass Ms. Bithika Mondol out of political divergence but failed.

On 20.05.2015 at 1.30 pm Ms. Purobi Mondol daughter of Ms. Bithika Mondol was alone in her residence. When she went to attend natures call; Mr. Hiren Mondol threw acid (corrosive substance) targeting her body through the open roof of their toilet, but somehow it failed to hit the girl. She screamed for help. After listening this, her elder sister Ms. Pubali Mondol and her neighbors rushed to that place. Mr. Hiren Mondol ran away from the place while neighbours reached the place. Parents of the victim were not at home and after receiving the information rushed to their home. They went to Raninagar Police Station at first instance to lodge a complaint against the perpetrator Mr. Hiren Mondol. At first, the Sub Inspector of Raninagar Police Station; Mr. Surojit Thakur showed his reluctance to register the complaint, verbally abused the victim and his parents and finally but finally registered the complaint.

On 21st May 2015, Mr. Hiren Mondol again with his followers attacked the girl. At that time victim was in her residence. The said miscreants threw acid upon her and this time unfortunately the substance hit the victim and her legs were burnt. Just after the incident the perpetrators ran away from that place. Then victim’s mother called the S.I of Raninagar Police Station; Mr. Surojit Thakur over telephone and informed him about the incident. Mr. Thakur came to her place and in the name of investigation; he only pressurized the minor victim along with her parents to come to police station. After reaching at Raninagar Police Station, the Inspector in Charge of Raninagar Police Station and Mr. Surojit Thakur verbally abused them and refused to accept the complaint regarding the incident of 21st May and asked them to withdraw the previous complaint. Later, said police personnel sent the victim to Godhanpara Primary Health center for medical checkup. Mr. Surojit Thakur reached at the said medical facility and asked the attending doctor to alter his findings to shield the miscreants; which the parents protested and furious Mr. Thakur abused them in public.

On the same day victim was sent to Lalbagh Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court for recording of her statement in accordance to the section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code. After reaching at the court, the victim was locked in a room and one lady constable was along with her without any documents from police. The parents of the victim were tensed as the police purposefully sent the victim without any required documents and papers from the police station, and they contacted a lawyer; Mr. Rana Mahanto and with his assistance victim was brought before the Magistrate. Due to unavailability of proper documents the magistrate called Mr. Thakur and after listening the victim’s account, Magistrate rebuked the Investigating Officer of this case; Mr. Thakur and ordered him to send the victim to Lalbagh Sub-divisional Hospital for treatment. Then victim was sent to the said hospital but as at the time there was no doctor, Mr. Thakur handed over the victim to her parents and shirked off his responsibility and left the hospital, he even said that they will not intervene in this matter in future and the parents are ‘free’ to do whatever they feel fit. The said police officer even warned them by saying that ‘nobody will hassle him’. After that the parents of victim brought her to district hospital; Berhampore Medical College and Hospital. After initial treatment, doctors opined for a consultation with orthopedic experts.

We have been informed that the victim girl was again attacked by the same goons and police having nexus with the accused trying to shield them.

Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
(MASUM)
&
National Convenor (PACTI)
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity
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