http://twocircles.net/2010mar25/every_second_police_encounter_india_fake.html
Every second police encounter in India is fake Submitted by admin4 on 25 March 2010 - 1:48pm. - Indian Muslim <http://twocircles.net/news/indian-muslim> *By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,* New Delhi: While there is strong resistance by the government and its agencies including police and even courts for a judicial probe into the infamous Batla House encounter – ignoring persistent demand, sharpened following the autopsy report, of the Muslim community and human rights groups – the official data available with*TwoCircles.net* says every second police encounter that takes place in the country is fake. Since October 1993, 2560 cases of police encounters have been brought into the notice of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Of them, according to the NHRC, 1224 cases have been found fake encounters. It means that roughly every second police encounter is fake in the country. The information has been accessed by eminent RTI activist Afroz Alam Sahil after several attempts. Sahil recently came into limelight for securing the autopsy report of Batla House encounter victims. Another interesting point the data reveals is that of 1224 fake encounters, the NHRC ordered for compensation in only 16 cases. Sahil, a Jamia Millia Islamia student filed an application with the NHRC using RTI Act on 24/09/2008. He sought information on three counts: number of police encounter cases reached NHRC so far, number of fake encounters among them and details of these fake encounters. He got incomplete reply on 20/10/2008. The one-paragraph answer to these questions said: “As per record available with the Commission, so far 2560 cases of police encounter/alleged fake encounter have come up before the NHRC. The Commission has so far granted compensation in sixteen cases of police encounter/alleged fake encounter.” The answer did not provide the number of all fake encounters. *Sohrabuddin Sheikh* Unsatisfied Sahil appealed for full information on 29/10/2008. He got reply on 27/11/2008. “In addition to earlier reply provided to the applicant, it is submitted that out of 16 cases in which certain acts of omission/commission resulting in violation of human rights on the part of public servants were found, 8 have been closed and the remaining 8 are still under consideration before the commission.” Once again the Commission skipped the question about the number of total fake encounters. Rather the repeated information about compensation in fake encounters seemed to indicate there were only 16 fake encounters. But this was not true. The actual number of fake encounters was in hundreds. The petitioner filed a fresh application on 02/03/2009 and asked 7 questions including: Since October 1993, how many cases of fake encounters, communal riots/caste violence, death in police custody, exploitation of women and exploitation of Dalit have come before the commission. In how many of them public servants were found guilty. How many of them were disposed of or found wrong. And the case number of fake encounters in which NHRC has given compensation. The reply the NHRC sent on 08/04/2009 was revealing. Since October 1993 there were 1224 fake encounters in the country. See the table. * Fake encounters 1224* * Communal riots/caste violence 432 Death in police custody 2320 Exploitation of women 4502 * *Exploitation of Dalit 17998 * The NHRC said that out of the above, in 224 cases, the Commission found violation of human rights by public servants. The Commission had disposed of a total of 16784 such cases where no finding/positive recommendation in respect of proven violation of human rights was made. *Ishrat Jahan* However, this reply contrasted its own reply dated 27/11/2008 as for compensation in fake encounters. While there were 1224 fake encounters the commission ordered compensation in only 7 cases. “In 7 cases of encounter, the Commission has awarded compensation,” says NHRC in the new reply while November 2008 reply said compensation was given in 16 cases. Of these seven one was Mohammed Shafi of Andhra Pradesh. The complaint in his case was filed by Lateef Mohd Khan of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee of Hyderabad. The encounter had taken place in Zaheerabad on 22/05/2003. The victim family has been given a compensation of Rs 3 lakh. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
