Probe incidents of accused being paraded in underwear: APDR writes to West Bengal Human Rights Commission

Expressing concern over some accused being paraded barefoot in their underwear at several police stations in Howrah district, a civil rights organization approached the West Bengal Human Rights Commission to conduct an investigation into the actions of police officers.

Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), a prominent civil rights organisation, in a letter to WBHRC, highlighted two incidents in which two accused were paraded in their underwear at Golabari police station on May 24 and Sankrail police station on May 25.

On May 24, the accused, Akash Singh, was paraded in his underwear and vest before being taken into custody, and on May 25, Shamim Ahmed was subjected to similar treatment, with a rope tied around his waist and paraded through the streets in his underwear and vest, before being taken into custody.

There are allegations of serious criminal activities against both the accused and the arrest comes in the wake of regime change in West Bengal, where police began cracking down on local Trinamool leaders and those with criminal histories closer to the Trinamool Congress regime.

“We are appalled by this conduct by the police. The actions of police personnel at Golabari and Sankrail Police Stations constitute a gross violation of human rights… One of the fundamental principles of human rights law (observed globally, including in India) is that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Ranajit Sur, deputy chairman of APDR, said in his letter to WBHRC.

Mr. Sur emphasized that the accused were seen with ropes tied around their waists at Metiabruz in Calcutta and even at the Park Circus.

APDR wrote to WBHRC: “The Supreme Court has issued specific directives stipulating that no prisoner shall be handcuffed without the express order of a Magistrate. Moreover, the Supreme Court has repeatedly imposed bans on the practice of tying ropes around the waist of prisoners, clearly declaring that it is a violation of human rights and a degrading act.”

Following the violence at Park Circus on May 18, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said there would be zero tolerance for any act of vandalism and the police would have freedom to deal with past incidents of crime.

Mr. Sur said that such behavior by the police despite these clear instructions showed that the police not only evaded the legal process but also resorted to the use of “criminal force”.

After the BJP came to power in West Bengal, there was a crackdown on local Trinamool leaders and people with criminal backgrounds. Around 100 people were arrested, most of whom were local Trinamool Congress leaders allegedly involved in corruption.