By IANS,
Kolkata : Taking note of media reports of the stripping and torture of a jail inmate, the West Bengal Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the jail department.
“The commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the barbaric incident that took place at Dum Dum Central Correctional Home and asked the inspector-general, correctional homes, Ranvir Kumar to conduct a probe and submit a comprehensive report in two weeks,” the commission’s joint secretary Sujay Halder said.
But Ranvir Kumar said he was yet to receive any order to the effect.
“I’m yet to receive any order from the commission. Nonetheless I have initiated a probe into the allegations,” he told IANS.
Bikram Mahato, undergoing trial for a murder and lodged at the correctional home, was allegedly stripped and thrashed by guards after he complained about the quality of food being served to inmates.
mahto’s family claimed he was handcuffed and kept naked in a cell and repeatedly tortured.
Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), a rights group, too has taken up the matter and will submit a memorandum to the state’s Correctional Administration Minister Shankar Chakravarty.
“The living condition in all jails is inhuman to say the least. They are grossly overcrowded and whenever inmates protest, they are subjected to torture. This is not a case in isolation,” APDR’s Ranjit Sur said.
“We have repeatedly given memorandums to the administration regarding inhuman living conditions in jail but to no avail,” he said.