By TwoCircles.net news desk,
New Delhi: Two human rights activists of People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) are missing for a few days in Uttar Pradesh and the organization has blamed state STF and ATS for their abduction and illegal confinement.
The PUDR has “strongly condemned the abduction and illegal confinement of two human rights activists in Uttar Pradesh at the hands of the state STF and ATS. All of them were active with the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and are missing” says a press release from PUDR.
“Vinod Kumar Yadav and Sarfaraz had been actively campaigning against the state sponsored propaganda aimed at identifying Azamgarh district as the hotbed of terrorism. They had been part of organising various mass protests in Lucknow, Azamgarh, Faizabad, Ballia and Gorakhpur to highlight the terrorising of Muslims and the falsity of police claims and illegality of police actions. Given the terror unleashed on the Muslims of Azamgarh after the Jamia Nagar police encounter in Delhi, the PUDR activists were trying to provide legal help to the families of those arrested” says PUDR.
These activists had prevented the harassment of two Muslim youths by ATS personnel in plain clothes on 24 October 2008. The two youths were travelling from Azamgarh to Delhi by train when they were harassed and threatened by ATS personnel. They were also prevented from returning home. This happening was reported in the local press. “The PUDR activists’ disappearance occurred soon after” says the release.
The PUDR has demanded that the government ensures safety and immediate release of the human rights activists. Criminal charges need to be registered against the STF/ATS personnel involved in the abduction and illegal confinement.