Simi men tortured in Bhopal prison, forced to shout Jai Shri Ram: NHRC

The NHRC said after the October 2016 jailbreak, meetings between the prisoners and their visitors have been curtailed in terms of time allotted and conditions in which they are able to meet.

For representational purposes only.

BHOPAL:  A probe by two teams of investigators sent by the National Human Rights Commission to the Bhopal Central Jail in June and December 2017 has revealed that 21 activists of the Students Islamic Movement of India were subjected to physical and mental torture by the jail staff. The inmates were forced to shout slogans such as Jai Shri Ram and greet jail warders with Ram, Ram, said the findings of the NHRC’s first team.

“The prisoners and their family members have alleged that all the prisoners are forced by the jail authorities to shout slogans like Jai Shri Ram or say Ram, Ram to jail warders, etc. Some of the prisoners have also alleged that the jail staff asks them to shout one slogan for one extra roti/chapati,” the report said.

“The jail authorities, however, denied the allegation. The prisoners rather provoke the jail staff and pass derogatory/abusive/religious remarks on the jail staff,” the report said. “Some prisoners even gave specific dates of such incidents when they were assaulted by the jail staff for refusing to raise such slogans and the assault is corroborated by the medical ticket of the prisoner,” the report added.

The commission also said that the jail staff harbours antagonism towards the 21 inmates. “Keeping long beards by these prisoners was seen as a defiant expression of religion and therefore subjected to force by the jail staff. From the overall facts and circumstances, the jail staff seems to harbour a sense of religious antagonism against the 21 prisoners, which is reflected by the inhuman treatment towards them.”

The NHRC said after the October 2016 jailbreak, meetings between the prisoners and their visitors have been curtailed in terms of time allotted and conditions in which they are able to meet. When contacted, DG (Jail) Sanjay Choudhary said “the first NHRC inquiry team report is an exaggerated one-sided report. The NHRC has sent the first report to us. Our written opinion has been included in the comments sent by the government in its reply in February. The matter is pending before the NHRC.”