The Hindu : National : “Instances of torture still rampant in Tamil Nadu”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 27, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

“Instances of torture still rampant in Tamil Nadu”

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Instances of torture ranging from custodial harassment to caste-driven violence are still rampant in pockets of the State, according to activists who observed the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture here on Sunday.

The observance to express solidarity with victims of torture and also to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was organised jointly by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development and the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).One of the case studies presented by the NGO ‘Peoples' Watch' involved a kurava community woman in Naduveerapattu in Cuddalore district whose spouse was randomly picked up by police in 2010 for questioning in connection with a “scuffle” and subjected to fatal custodial torture.

“We have been scrambling from pillar to post for justice. But, we have not even got a death certificate yet,” said Kasturi.Petitions to the National and State Human Rights Commissions yielded no response and the victim has approached the Madras High Court for justice.

“We strongly suspect that a hush-up over the incident as one of the perpetrators is said to have political connections,” said Jayaraman of Peoples' Watch.

Another tale from Kambilimedu village in Cuddalore involved Shanthi whose spouse was assaulted to death in a caste row. “There were a few token arrests but the real perpetrators are still at large,” said Shanthi.

Similar stories of horror were shared by victims who came from Cuddalore, Madurai and Tuticorin.

“So common are such incidents that it is almost as if Indian society is permissive of torture,” said P. Michael Vetha Siromony, Director and Vice-Chancellor of RGNIYD. Inaugurating the discussions, he said that in many cases it was the State (in the form of police) that was the biggest perpetrator of torture.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail