The Hindu : National : NHRC notice to Centre on plight of prisoners

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Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

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National

NHRC notice to Centre on plight of prisoners

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, FEB. 22. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Union Home Ministry and Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on a petition seeking a direction to order a probe into the complaint of harassment meted out to 50 Tamil prisoners in Mysore jail in Karnataka.

The notice was issued on a complaint from K.S. Radhakrishnan, advocate, who alleged that human rights of the 50 prisoners were being violated and sought appropriate remedial action.

Mr. Radhakrishnan referred to a news report that appeared in a Tamil magazine, Nakkheeran, stating that 50 Tamil prisoners were being ill-treated and beaten up by jailors.

He said the prisoners had jointly represented to jail authorities regarding the ill-treatment but no action was taken against the delinquent officials.

He understood from the report that one of the jailors informed the prisoners that an action plan had been prepared to ill-treat, harass, humiliate and attack them.

It was in these circumstances, he was filing this complaint, he said.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said there was an apprehension in the minds of the 50 prisoners that their lives would be in danger at the hands of the jailors.

Contending that the action of the jailors would amount to violation of the rights of the prisoners, he sought a direction to the respondents to order an immediate probe into the incidents and take appropriate action against the erring jailors.

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