By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI: The National Campaign Against Torture (NCAT), a conglomerate of NGOs working to stamp out torture, in its report, “The State of Torture in Arunachal Pradesh” , stated that Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh are regularly subjected to torture and the Diyun police station under Changlang district has become the torture chamber of the State.
Though there are 104 notified Police Stations in Arunachal Pradesh and 15 deaths in police custody took place during 2009-2010 to 2018-19 in the State, the Diyun Police Station had disproportionate share of two custodial deaths i.e. Pintu Chakma (26 years) on 16 October 2014 and Diganta Saikia (33 years) on 24 November 2017.
Further, on 3 September 2019, another person Raj Kumar Chakma, allegedly committed suicide at the lock-up of Diyun police station allegedly by jumping off the bucket. The photos taken after his death show that bucket remain unmoved, raising serious suspicion about the alleged suicide.
“At the heart of the Diyun becoming Arunachal’s torture chamber lies the systematic and institutionalised discrimination against the Chakmas and Hajongs who live in the area and license given to the police for lawless law enforcement. Though the Supreme Court has declared the Chakmas and Hajongs as citizens in its judgment on 6 January 1996 and many of the descendants of the migrants are citizens by birth and have been voting as citizens, the methods of law enforcement have not changed.” –stated Suhas Chakma, Coordinator of the NCAT.
“Chakmas and Hajongs remain extremely vulnerable to torture as it is known to the law enforcement personnel that neither the State authorities nor the State political leaders shall ever intervene for them. On 12 September 2019, one Lokhi Dhan Chakma went to surrender to the nearest Indian Reserve Battallion outpost at Kokila, Paumpare district after he attacked his brother following a family quarrel. The IRBn personnel instead of the allowing the law to take its own course, tied up Lokhi Dhan Chakma, tortured him and made him do forced labour.”- further stated Mr Chakma.
Describing regular use of torture in Arunachal Pradesh, the report stated, “From 23 to 28 May 2019, Khunna Naam, a murder accused was allegedly illegally detained for five days and tortured by police at Longding police station during interrogation. After five days of illegal detention, Naam was produced before the local court on 28 May 2018 and was admitted to a local government health centre in a critical condition. Following the torture, the victim even could not stand on his own feet.
Arunachal Pradesh has just 2 district jails and most detainees are kept in police lock-ups even after production before the Court. As per NHRC data, a total of 19 prisoners died in jails during 2009-10 and 2017-18.
The National Campaign Against Torture (NCAT) called upon Arunachal Pradesh to establish adequate number of prisons and district courts to deal with torture of suspects who are mostly detained in police lock-ups, establishing accountability for torture and sensitise the State Police to not to resort to torture.
