My name is Lenin Raghuvanshi. I am a
human rights worker and founder and CEO of Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on
Human Rights (PVCHR), Varanasi, India.
On 21 April 2018 at about 11 PM, my younger brother, Kanad was badly
beaten by some goons while attending a marriage ceremony in my neighbourhood, which
resulted in severe head injuries involving as many as 18 stiches on his head.
Kanad complained to the Police but no FIR was registered.
I came to know about the incident on
26 April 2018 when I returned from London after participating in an
international symposia representing PVCHR.
I went to the Cantonment Police Station and asked the reasons for not
filling any FIR. Cantonment Police Station personneldirected me to visit Pahariya
Police Outpost. When I reached the Pahariya Police Outpost, I was severely
manhandled by three policemen. At the outset, without any rhyme or reason, one
of them started misbehaving with me hurling abusive words while another one through
his mobile phone was busy recording my conversation with them.
Gradually, the police personnel
became aggressive; in a concerted manner, they removed their name tags and
resorted to uncalled-for violence on me. I was apprehensive that my life would
be in danger, and therefore, I decided to leave the place. I went out of the
Outpost and while I was about to start my motorbike, one policeman pounced on
me and twisted my left arm from behind and
pushed my motorbike. My wristwatch wasalso broken due to this sudden attack. When
I kept pleadingthat there is a rule of law and I honour the rule of law, and desired
them to get in touch withthe Cantonment Police Station,the three policemen only
escalated their abusive languages saying, “you have created lots of trouble for
police by filling cases against us” (in relation to human rights violations). One
of the policemen continued to forcibly twist my arm resulting in swell and pain
in my wrist, shoulder and arm. I regret for not being able to note their names
as all of them had removed their name tagsbefore resorting to brutal attack on
me,.
Meanwhile, police personnel from the
Cantonment Police Stationreached the spot and I requested them to get my
medico-legal test done for brutal attack I had to suffer at the Pahariya Police
Outpost. Instead of paying any heed to my appeal, police personnel from the
Cantonment Police Station only told me to go home. Having denied basic police
assistance as available in course of law, I came back home and recorded my
terrible experience on Facebook in order to make this incident known to the
critical mass.
At the Pahariya Police Outpost, I was
surprised that the police were referring tothe false case registered against me
in Delhiandlamenting that they could not do anything against him in this
case.
Links :
Afterwards, on the following day at 2:51
am,I rangat‘100’Police Helpline numberfrom my mobile # +91 99355 99333, but
there was no response. Later, I rangupHuman Rights Defender Desk Helpline in
the National Human Rights Commission butgot no response. Later at 6.47 am, the Human
Rights Defender Desk Helpline called me back me but unfortunately I could not
take the call as I was sleeping under strong sedative medication owing to
severe swell and pain in my wrist, shoulder and arm.
(Testimony of Lenin Raghuvanshi from
his letter sent to various concerned authorities).
PVCHR took up the case of Kanad with
various concerned authorities.
On 27 April 2017,the National Human
Rights Commission took cognisance in the case of attack of his brother Kanad (9835/24/72/2018). FIR was also lodged in his case under section
307 (https://indiankanoon.org/doc/455468/)
and 392 (https://indiankanoon.org/doc/329571/)
IPC.
People from across the world
condemned the heinous police attack and expressed their solidarity toDr Lenin Raghuvanshi.
Tom Bailey famous Musician (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Bailey_(musician)
wrote on Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi’s Facebook: “It is shocking to see that such
violent abuse is used against such a tireless advocate for basic human dignity.
The world is watching.”Dr Mohan Lal Panda, Advisor of PVCHR responded:“There is
a section in the police force for whom lawlessness is law. They always
neutralise their targets with the support of non-state actors. For them their
interest and identity are above the customs, conventions and the Constitution
of India. Lenin's work pricks their eyes always, so this brave heart continues
to be at the receiving end.”
Background
Information:
This is not only first time that Dr
Lenin Raghuvanshi, his wife and co-founder of PVCHR, Shruti Nagvanshi and PVCHR
faced intimidation and harassment from Police due to theirrelentless effortsin
restoring rights of the common hapless people.
On 24 April 2013, at about 8:00 pm,
three unidentified assailants made an attempt on the life of human rights
defender Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi. The attack took place at the human
rights defender's home in the city of Varanasi of the Uttar Pradesh in northern
India (http://pvchr.blogspot.in/2013/04/india-attempted-killing-of-human-rights.html). The First
Information Report (FIR) was lodged in the case # 359/13 under section 307,
452, 343 and 325 of Indian Penal Code after the intervention of the Circle
Officer, Cantonment Police, Varanasi.
It is noted that on 28 February
2013, one Sunil Gupta filed habeas corpus
against Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi in the Hon’ble High Court,Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh under writ petition # 8753 of 2013 (the copy of writ is annexed). On 18 March
2013, the Hon’bleHigh Court gave order against Sunil Gupta stating, “The
petition stands disposed of, accordingly, her husband, Sunil Kumar Gupta, is
restrained from making any kind of interference in the peaceful life and
liberty of the corpus”. http://www.scribd.com/doc/132395197/Order-of-High-Court-in-case-of-sapana
Shruti Nagvanshi filed a case against
Sunil Gupta in the Cantonment Police Station vide crime # 418/13 under section 66ग, 66घ, 67 of IT Act for the
abusive Facebook post by Sunil Gupta for rampage with photographs. Police filed
final report in this case.
On 19 June 2013, FIR was lodged
against Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi and Shruti Nagvanshi in Bhelupur Police Station in
crime # 199/13 under section 342, 348, 498 of
IPC on the complaint addressed to the Chief Medical Officer by Sunil Gupta. (http://pvchr.blogspot.in/2013/06/fake-case-against-lenin-raghuvanshi-and.html)
The National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) took cognisance and clubbed all the matters together in case #
42218/24/72/2012. In the case,the Hon’ble Commission summoned the Senior Superintendent of Police, Varanasi
under section 13 of the PHR Act, 1993 on 20 February 2018 to explain his utter
casual and callous attitude since the instant cases pertain to the year 2012
and two
cases originate from the same police outpost i.e. Pahariya Police
Outpost.
About Dr Lenin
Raghuvanshi:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin_Raghuvanshi, http://lenin-shruti.blogspot.in/, www.leninraghuvanshi.com
Please write the letters to the following
authorities urging for the independent,fair and speedy investigation and security of Human Rights Defender .
Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Manav Adhikar Bhawan
Block-C, GPO Complex,
INA, New Delhi - 110023
Email: cr.nhrc@nic.in, hrd-nhrc@nic.in
Director General of Police
1-Tilak Marg,
Lucknow.
Email: dgp@up.nic.in
Senior Superintendent of Police, Varanasi
Kachehri Parisar,
Varanasi – 221002
Thanking You
Sincerely Yours
PVCHR urgent appeal desk
#PVCHR #urgentappeal #HRD #U4humanrights #LeninRaghuvanshi
