CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered notice to the state government and the State Human Rights Commission following a petition alleging torture in Vellore Central Prison and constitution of a committee for supervising the affairs of prisons.
The first bench of Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji directed the respondent authorities to file the reply within four weeks and adjourned the matter.
The petition, filed by U Ashwinkumar of Manakulangara in Trissur district of Kerala, stated he was subjected to torture at Vellore Central Prison while he was remanded after falsely booked in a drug case by the Coimbatore police.
While locked up in the prison between April 30 and June 14, 2024, the prison wardens, through the quick reaction teams, had forcefully removed his dress and made him stand naked causing mental agony; later, he was locked up in solitary confinement in a stinky room, Ashwinkumar alleged.
The jail warden had beaten up the prisoners inflicting physical torture and threatened them of dire consequences if they did not obey the diktat, he said.
The petitioner alleged the jailer Arul Kumaran used to beat the prisoners by engaging the quick reaction teams and stated about 200 prisoners were subjected to the torture.
He said the complaint box would not be placed in the right place to pre-empt the prisoners from dropping complaints against the authorities and that certain prisoner had ended their lives, unable to bear the torture.
He prayed for the court to order setting up of a committee to supervise the affairs of the prisons to ensure their safety and security and take action against the delinquent officials.