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National Human Rights Commission, India, 'Another Name Given to the Policy that Encourages...' (16 April
2023) [Link]
[Link]#:~:text=Another%20name%20given%20to%20the%20policy%20that%20encourages,being%20shot%20in
%20their%20legs%20during%20these%20encounters accessed [date of access]

Sabrang India
Extra-judicial killings in UP: A badge of honour or a matter of shame?
[Link]
In March 2023, stark figures revealed by the state government proudly showcased that
the police in Uttar Pradesh (UP) had carried out more than 10,000 encounters over the
past 6 years, episodes in which 178 persons accused of crimes, were shot dead
Encounters or what should be more accurately termed “extra-judicial killings” are a
fanciful practice indulged in by trigger happy cops who then wear the “encounter pecialist”
tag with pride. When you actually call it by the latter name, is when you realize the gravity
of the term and its implication. Such killings are part and parcel of vigilante justice where
the police treat the accused, who has not been proven guilty in court, as guilty and
lawlessly punishes him, by taking his life.
In official data released by UP government in March, it proudly revealed how it had illed
178 persons accused of serious offences after having conducted 10, 713 encounters,
eported Hindustan Times. Meerut had recorded that highest number of encounters 3,152)
followed by Agra (1,844) and Bareilly (1,497). In each of these districts, 63, 14 and 7
persons had been eliminated, respectively.
This averages to about a total of five extra-judicial killings every over the last six years!
Proudly declaring the high number of these “encounter killings” to be a badge of honour,
Additional Director-General (law and order) of the U.P. Police, Prashant Kumar, told
industan Times on April 16, 2023 that this collective police action is a “befitting reply to
criminals”.
As of August 2021, at least 3,302 accused were injured in encounters in UP since March
2017 (that is when Yogi Adityanath first became the Chief Minister of the state) and these
injuries are generally below the wait, on the legs, leaving many disabled.
It is rare that police personnel ever get punished ort reprimanded for taking the law into
their own hands. Rare is it even that a criminal complaint, an FIR gets registered in such
cases. In one such case, in February 2022, an FIR was filed against then Superintendent
of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, three circle officers and in-charges of 10
police stations. The incident occurred a staggering 19 years ago in October 2004 when
the Jalalabad Police shot two persons accused of dacoity. What evidence for trial is likely
to survive after close to two decades?
Official data accessed from the UP police in 2018 revealed that within 10 months of Yogi
Adityanath coming to power in UP, 34 accused persons had died in 1,142 encounters
leaving 265 injured.
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Many of those killed in such encounters are allegedly “wanted criminals” with a bounty on
their heads. For instance, gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed in July 2020 when the
vehicle he was traveling in allegedly overturned and he tried to escape; he is reported to
have a series of serious cases against him; ganster Tinku Kapala with a bounty of Rs 1
lakh was similarly killed in July 2020, Bangladeshi gangster Hamza was killed in October
2021, gangster Vinod Kumar Singh, with a bounty of Rs 1 lakh was killed in September
2022.
Most recently, April 13, Atiq Ahmed’ son Asad (wanted in the case of murder of Umesh
Pal Singh) and Ghulam were killed in an encounter in Jhansi on Thursday.
Do encounters have a political connection?
The linkage between the increase in numbers of extra-judicial killings and the ruling party
in the state become fairly apparent when the higher echelons bosses of the same outfit
claim political credit, even using it as propaganda to demonstrate an improvement in law
and order situation. Ajay Bisht aka Adityanath has self-proclaimed this phenomenon as
his ‘zero-tolerance’ policy against anti-social elements. He has received high level
endorsement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit
Shah both showering praise for the improved law and order situation given that the state
is the chosen venue for the Global Investors Summit. The rhetoric being that this attracts
more investment.
Many of these extra-judicial killings over the past years have been attributed to
Adityanath’s “Operation Clean”.
Barely two months after assuming power in March 2017, Yogi had said in an interview,
“agar aap apradh karenge, toh thok diye jayenge” (if you commit a crime, you will be
smashed/killed), hardly befitting a chief minister who occupies a constitutional post.
Another name given to the policy that encourages such killings is “Operation Langda”
(Operation Disabled/Lame Leg) which implies that many accused were rendered disabled
after being shot in their legs during these encounters. In 2021, just before Republic Day,
the state’s chief secretary –again the senior post bureaucrat from the IAS cadre who
swears an oath under the Constitution --had asked district magistrates to popularise the
phrase “Ab Tak 3,000” (Three Thousand and Counting..) describing the number of
“encounters” committed by the Adityanath government until then.
There is no centralised data on such killings. Information provided by the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC), “encounter deaths” were highest in number in Chhattisgarh
(191) followed by UP (117) and Assam (50). The period for which this data has been
made available is January 1, 2017 and January 31, 2022.
What exactly lies behind these killings?
A 2018 article in Newsclick wrote, “The testimonies of eyewitnesses and family members
of those who were killed in the ‘encounters’ and a close examination of the FIRs and post-
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mortem reports clearly show that most of these killings are cold blooded murders – where
no gun battle apparently took place.
For many of those killed or injured, it appears that the police posthumously inserted
clauses of criminality in their record to justify the killings or injuries. The law is clear and
each of these killings is a violation: even someone with criminal records cannot – under
any circumstances – be gunned down in this way, the police if bound to follow due
process. The staggering numbers of false and manipulated criminal complaints and FIRs,
the absence of integrity and accountability in police investigation further strengthens
arguments against this arbitrary practice.
Despite numerous judicial pronouncements, the abhorrent practice continues within law
enforcement, police practice. Far from penalising these extra-judicial killings, since the
CRPC protects the policeman from “acts done in good faith”, a pervasive trigger happy
force enjoys wielding the gun and functioning with impunity.
Besides, Bollywood films and pop culture glorify the encounter shoot-out, the middle and
privileged classes and castes root for “an eye for an eye” approach. The abysmal delay
and decay in the administration of criminal justice becomes an excuse for the police taking
law into their own hands.
Legal jurisprudence
When cases finally reach the higher judiciary, the Supreme Court, the jurisprudence has
been unequivocal. Much damage is however already done by then and rare is it that guilty
policeman are punished.
Speaking against extra-judicial killings, the Supreme Court in Om Prakash and others Vs
State of Jharkhand [Criminal Appeal o. 1491 of 2012; decided on September 26,
2012] said,
“It is not the duty of the police officers to kill the accused merely because he is a dreaded
criminal. Undoubtedly, the police have to arrest the accused and put them up for trial.
This court has repeatedly admonished trigger happy police personnel, who liquidate
criminals and project the incident as an encounter. Such killings must be deprecated.
They are not recognized as legal by our criminal justice administration system. They
amount to State sponsored terrorism.” (Para 38)
In Prakash Kadam vs Ramprasad Vishwanath Gupta [Criminal Appeal Nos.1174-1178 of
2011; decided on May 13, 2011], the Supreme Court prima facie held that some police
officers and staff were engaged by some private persons to kill their opponent and that
the police behaved like contract killers and did a fake encounter. The court, in its
judgement, said,
“Fake `encounters' are nothing but cold blooded, brutal murder by persons who are
supposed to uphold the law. In our opinion if crimes are committed by ordinary people,
ordinary punishment should be given, but if the offence is committed by policemen much
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harsher punishment should be given to them because they do an act totally contrary to
their duties.” (Para 25)
“We warn policemen that they will not be excused for committing murder in the name of
`encounter' on the pretext that they were carrying out the orders of their superior officers
or politicians, however high. In the Nuremburg trials the Nazi war criminals took the plea
that `orders are orders', nevertheless they were hanged. If a policeman is given an illegal
order by any superior to do a fake `encounter', it is his duty to refuse to carry out such
illegal order, otherwise he will be charged for murder, and if found guilty sentenced to
death. The `encounter' philosophy is a criminal philosophy, and all policemen must know
this. Trigger happy policemen who think they can kill people in the name of `encounter'
and get away with it should know that the gallows await them.” (Para 26)
In PUCL Vs State of Maharashtra [Criminal Appeal No. 1255 of 1999; order dated
September 23, 2014] in 2014, PUCL had challenged 99 encounters by Mumbai Police
between 1995 and 1997 and sought guidelines on procedure to following in investigating
police encounters. The court issued the following guidelines which are not just applicable
in case of death in encounters but also grievous u=injuries caused during such
encounters (the guidelines are abridged):
(1) Whenever the police is in receipt of any intelligence or tip-off regarding criminal
movements or activities pertaining to the commission of grave criminal offence, it shall be
reduced into writing in some form (preferably into case diary) or in some electronic form.
(2) If pursuant to the tip-off or receipt of any intelligence, as above, encounter takes place
and firearm is used by the police party and as a result of that, death occurs, an FIR to
that effect shall be registered and the same shall be forwarded to the court under Section
157 of the Code without any delay.
(3) An independent investigation into the incident/encounter shall be conducted by the
CID or police team of another police station under the supervision of a senior officer which
will identify the victim, recover evidence, determine the cause of death, ensure
fingerprints of victim are sent for analysis, ensure that post mortem is conducted by two
doctors of district hospital and the same should be video graphed.
(4) A Magisterial inquiry under Section 176 of the Code must invariably be held in all
cases of death which occur in the course of police firing and a report thereof must be sent
to Judicial Magistrate having jurisdiction under Section 190 of the Code.
5) The involvement of NHRC is not necessary unless there is serious doubt about
independent and impartial investigation. However, information of the incident to be sent
to NHRC or the State Commission.
(6) The injured criminal/victim should be provided medical aid and his/her statement
recorded by the Magistrate or Medical Officer with certificate of fitness.
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(7) It should be ensured that there is no delay in sending FIR, diary entries, panchnamas,
sketch, etc., to the concerned Court.
(8) After full investigation into the incident, the report should be sent to the competent
court under Section 173 of the Code. The trial, pursuant to the chargesheet submitted by
the Investigating Officer, must be concluded expeditiously.
(9) In the event of death, the next of kin of the alleged criminal/victim must be informed at
the earliest.
(10) Six monthly statements of all cases where deaths have occurred in police firing must
be sent to NHRC by DGPs.
(11) If on the conclusion of investigation the materials/evidence having come on record
show that death had occurred by use of firearm amounting to offence under the IPC,
disciplinary action against such officer must be promptly initiated and he be placed under
suspension.
(12) As regards compensation to be granted to the dependants of the victim who suffered
death in a police encounter, the scheme provided under Section 357-A of the Code must
be applied.
(13) The police officer(s) concerned must surrender his/her weapons for forensic and
ballistic analysis, including any other material, as required by the investigating team,
subject to the rights under Article 20 of the Constitution.
(14) An intimation about the incident must also be sent to the police officer’s family and
should the family need services of a lawyer / counselling, same must be offered.
(15) No out-of-turn promotion or instant gallantry rewards shall be bestowed on the
concerned officers soon after the occurrence. It must be ensured at all costs that such
rewards are given/recommended only when the gallantry of the concerned officers is
established beyond doubt.
(16) If the family of the victim finds that the above procedure has not been followed or
there exists a pattern of abuse or lack of independent investigation or impartiality by any
of the functionaries as above mentioned, it may make a complaint to the Sessions Judge
having territorial jurisdiction over the place of incident.
Besides the NHRC has laid down specific guidelines in cases of deaths caused in Police
action:
A. When the police officer in charge of a police station receives information about death
in an encounter with the police, he shall enter that information in the appropriate/ register.
B. Where the police officers belonging to the same police station are members of the
encounter party, whose action resulted in death, it is desirable that such cases are made
over for investigation to some other independent investigation agency, such as State
CBCID.
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C. Whenever a specific complaint is made against the police alleging commission of a

criminal act on their part, which makes out a cognizable case of culpable homicide, an
FIR to this effect must be registered under appropriate sections of the I.P.C. Such case
shall be investigated by State CBCID or any other specialized investigation agency.
D. A magisterial enquiry must be held in all cases of death which occurs in the course of
police action, as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within three months. The relatives
of the deceased, eye witnesses having information of the circumstances leading to
encounter, police station records etc. must be examined while conducting such enquiry.
E. Prompt prosecution and disciplinary action must be initiated against all delinquent
officers found guilty in the magisterial enquiry/police investigation.
F. No out-of-turn promotion or instant gallantry rewards shall be bestowed on the
concerned officers soon after the occurrence. It must be ensured at all costs that such
rewards are given/recommended only when the gallantry of the concerned officer is
established beyond doubt.
G. (a) All cases of deaths in police action in the states shall be reported to the Commission
by the Senior Superintendent of Police/Superintendent of Police of the District within 48
hours of such death in the following format:
1. Date and place of occurrence
2. Police station, district
3. Circumstances leading to death:
(i) Self-defence in encounter
(ii) In course of dispersal of unlawful assembly
(iii) In the course of effecting arrest
(iv) Any other circumstances
4. Brief facts of the incident
5. Criminal case No.
6. Investigating agency
(b) A second report must be sent in all cases of death in police action in the state by the
Sr. Superintendent of Police/Superintendent of Police to the commission within three
months providing following information:
1. Post mortem report
2. Inquest report
3. Findings of the magisterial enquiry/enquiry by senior officers disclosing:
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(i) Names and designation of police official, if found responsible for the death:
(ii) Whether use of force was justified and action taken was lawful:
(iii) Result of the forensic examination of 'handwash' of the deceased to ascertain the
presence of residue of gun powder to justify exercise of right of self defence; and
(iv) Report of the Ballistic Expert on examination of the weapons alleged to have been
used by the deceased and his companions.
Conclusion
Despite judicial strictures and some guidelines, such politically induced crimes by men
and women in uniform, continue with societal sanction and approbation. The law, too is
not clear and offers escape routes for trigger happy policemen. Such practices signify
nothing less than a complete subversion of the rule of law.
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The Print
‘No dust marks, empty pistol’: Retd IPS seeks NHRC probe into Asad-Ghulam
‘encounter’ by UP STF
[Link]
ghulam-encounter-by-up-stf/1520560/
In letter to NHRC, IPS (retd) Amitabh Thakur has raised 12 points of suspicion over
'encounter killing' of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad & his aide Ghulam.
Lucknow: Amid the Opposition’s uproar over ‘encounter’ killings in Uttar Pradesh, activist
and retired IPS officer Amitabh Thakur has written to the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC), alleging discrepancies in the sequence of events as narrated by
the state police and pictures from the spot in Jhansi where Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and
his accomplice Ghulam Mohammed were killed in a ‘police encounter’ Thursday.
The UP special task force (STF) had termed it “one-of-the-few operations” in which it used
all its might to trace the accused. Three separate First Information Reports (FIRs) were
lodged by DSP (STF) Navendu Kumar against Asad and Ghulam late Thursday night.
While police have filed one detailed FIR against Asad and Ghulam, two separate identical
FIRs were also filed against each of the two under sections of the Arms Act owing to the
recovery of pistols from them at the time of the ‘encounter’. ThePrint has a copy of all the
FIRs.
Pointing out 12 points of “suspicion” and discrepancies in the FIRs and the photographs
of the incident that have emerged, Thakur has also called for a thorough probe into the
alleged encounters. ThePrint has a copy of his letter to the NHRC.
In his complaint to the human rights body, Thakur said suspicion arises from a comparison
between the FIRs, and the photographs of the deceased released by the STF. “As per
established law, nobody is allowed to kill someone and anyone can be killed only through
legal procedure. Nobody can be killed merely calling him a heinous criminal. If the
situation is not controlled, the entire system will become anarchic,” he wrote.
He said while the police claimed that the accused were hiding in the bushes, the site
was an open spot without any bushes, contrary to the description in the FIR. “There is no
evidence of slipping or sliding and there are no dust marks on the tyres of the bike found
at the spot,” he wrote.
Thakur also questioned the timing of the incident, stating that while the FIR says the
accused had shown signs of life at the time of being transported to a hospital in the
afternoon, TV channels “had already broken the news of their deaths at 1 pm”.
Asked to comment on the allegations, STF sources told ThePrint that Thakur was a
regular in making such complaints and was not taken seriously even when he was in
service.
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Killed on the spot or died in hospital?

Thakur contended that while the FIR claimed both Asad and Ghulam were alive when the
encounter ended, and were writhing in pain, “it is clear from pictures that Asad and
Ghulam had been killed at the spot and the pictures were of dead bodies and not of two
persons writhing in pain”.
“In one photo, Asad’s body can be seen lying below the handle of a bike which is not
possible in any situation because if a person falls, he cannot land under a bike which is
already lying on the ground…his body should be above the handle… The way Asad’s
body has been shown…gives rise to suspicion,” he added.
Thakur further said that in the same photo, the way a pistol is shown in Asad’s closed fist,
it doesn’t seem to be in consonance with the medico-legal principles according to which,
as soon as someone collapses, “the pistol will fall from his hand”.

“An empty pistol lying next to Asad and a shadow visible in one of the pictures raises
question and in another photograph, while Ghulam is visible in the picture, the pistol is
missing which shows that several attempts were made to create the situation and STF
persons clicked pictures repeatedly,” he wrote.
Likewise, he said, the manner in which Ghulam could be seen holding a pistol was also
“against medico-legal principles”.
He added that the position of Ghulam’s chappals is different in different pictures.
Speaking to media persons Friday, Dr Narendra Tomar, managing director of Jhansi
medical college had said that police brought the duo in two separate ambulances at 1.20
pm Thursday.
“We were not aware of the identities. Their pulse, oxygen saturation, respiratory
movement were not there when they were brought and they were totally unconscious. A
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) , ECG was conducted and they were medically
examined and declared fatal,” he said.
Dr Tomar had further stated that Asad was shot twice and Ghulam had been shot at once
in a vital organ that led to his demise. “He (Ghulam) had fresh blood in the back. Rigor
mortis had not set in by that time which means they died about one-two hours before they
arrived. An X-ray was conducted on the whole body,” he had added.
Rigor mortis, a postmortem change resulting in stiffening of body muscles, helps medical
professionals estimate the time of death and also ascertain whether the body was moved.
What FIRs against Asad, Ghulam say
In the first FIR lodged against both Asad and Mohammed Ghulam in Badagaon police
station of Jhansi at 11.22 pm Thursday, the DSP has alleged that they had information
about Guddu Muslim (one of the shooters in the Umesh Pal case) having stayed at the
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house of one Satish Pandey in Parichha power plant area but he fled before police
arrived.
“Information was received about the presence of the accused Asad and Ghulam in Jhansi
and its suburbs after which 13 STF officers in two teams travelled to the area in two
vehicles,” it said.
It added that an informer told the team that Asad and Ghulam were spotted in the
Chirgaon area late Wednesday and were likely to still be there. They were then informed
that the duo had moved towards Parichha from Chirgaon on a red-black Discover bike
with a missing number plate.
The FIR said the duo were sighted 100 metres before Parichha and sped away on a
kutcha road when the police tried to stop them. “Both the teams surrounded the accused,
warning them and tried to stop them… At about 1.5 metres from the spot, the bike slipped
and fell in the bushes and both started firing at the policemen after hurling abuses at us,”
it said.
“…considering the indiscriminate firing from their side, the police team resorted to firing
in self defence,” said the FIR lodged under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder).
It added that the team approached the accused when the latter stopped firing and “saw
that they were writhing in pain”. And that the men were “identified as Asad Ahmed and
Mohammed Ghulam from the photographs which had gone viral on media channels”.
“Since there were signs of life in both the accused,” the FIR said, they were taken to a
hospital in two separate ambulances. “Later, when we went to the Jhansi medical college
to check, they were dead,” it added.
Speaking to media persons Friday, ADG (STF) Amitabh Yash defended the encounters,
and said the agency had put all its might into cracking the case and had engaged several
of its teams to track the accused. Elaborating on the STF’s probe, he said that “it was a
one-of-the-few operations wherein the STF had thrust its entire might and before this,
(such an action) has taken place in very few cases”.
“It was an important case because the murder committed by the mafia was an attack on
the roots of the criminal justice system because if witnesses are killed like this, no person
will stand to testify and the entire criminal justice system will collapse,” he said.
BJP leader Umesh Pal was one of the witnesses in the daylight murder of BSP MLA Raju
Pal who was allegedly gunned down by Atiq’s men on 25 January 2005. However, Umesh
had turned hostile in court during his testimony and was later dropped from the list of the
witnesses after the CBI took over the probe in 2016 and found him “unreliable”.
On 24 February this year, Umesh Pal was shot dead in broad daylight after at least seven
persons arrived in multiple vehicles and opened fire at him.
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Opposition attacks
Meanwhile, the Opposition continues to raise the issue of “fake encounters” and custodial
deaths in UP. Speaking to the media in Indore Friday, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and
former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said Uttar Pradesh was number one in fake
encounters and custodial deaths, and had received several notices from the NHRC in this
regard.
Citing previous ‘encounter killings’ in the state, he said, “We believe in the court. A court
can take suo motu cognizance and families should also approach the court in case they
feel that an encounter is fake.”
He further dared the government to shoot the persons involved in the death of a mother-
daughter duo in Kanpur. “You are looking at caste and religion here…in which direction,
are you taking the country? They want to divide the society and rule,” he said.
Pramila Dixit (44) and her 20-year-old daughter Neha were charred to death shortly after
a fire broke out in their shanty where a team of local administration and Kanpur police
had reached in Mandauli village of Kanpur Dehat following an order from the Maitha SDM
in February this year.
The deaths had stirred a political row even as the Kanpur police booked 12 named
persons, including the local SDM, SHO, and other officials, and 12-15 cops for murder in
connection with the incident, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in Hyderabad Friday that though he didn’t
support any mafia or criminal, he was always opposed to encounters. “What is the
difference between law enforcement agencies and criminals then?” he asked.
Reports also quoted him as asking, “Was the killer of Mahatma Gandhi killed or sent to
jail? Did you shoot him in an encounter?”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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The Indian Express

Nagaland civilian killings: After setback, families ask who will help them now
[Link]
families-ask-who-will-help-them-now-8558499/
While the six died on the spot, two survived. Seven more civilians and a security
personnel died in retaliatory violence that followed.
A sense of helplessness and despair has gripped Chemwang Konyak since Friday.
On December 4, 2021, his son, Shomwang, was among six miners who were killed when
the Indian Army’s 21 Para Special Force opened fire at a pick-up truck in Nagaland’s
Oting village, mistaking its occupants for insurgents of the banned National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (Khaplang-Yung Aung) group.
While the six died on the spot, two survived. Seven more civilians and a security
personnel died in retaliatory violence that followed.
The incident, which caused public outrage in Nagaland, led the National Human Rights
Commission to take suo motu cognizance of the killings, and the state government to set
up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to “facilitate free and fair investigation” in the case.
Last June, based on the SIT’s report, the state police filed a chargesheet accusing the
30 Army men, including a commander of Major rank, of “attempt to murder”.
However, less than a year later, the Union Ministry of Defence denied sanction to
prosecute the 30 security men, a statement from the Nagaland police said on Thursday.
Without the prosecution sanction from the Centre, a precondition to initiate action against
security personnel in areas under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the
legal process against the Army men cannot proceed further. The Army’s separate Court
of Inquiry is complete, but it is yet to decide on the action forward.
On Saturday, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen RP Kalita told reporters in Guwahati that
it was an “unfortunate incident”. “Unfortunately, because of the stay order passed by the
Supreme Court, the proceedings have been stayed completely…that’s where the
situation as far as the army inquiry is concerned,” he said.
He also reportedly said that the Army had “analysed” the mistakes in the Oting operation,
and taken a “comprehensive review of the conduct of operation in those areas”. He said
that the Army was reviewing amended Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) put in
place for counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast following the Oting incident.
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For 58-year-old Chemwang, who has long been battling a form of skin cancer, the news
has been shattering. “They had promised us justice… promised us that those who killed
my son would be punished,” he says over the phone from Oting, in Nagaland’s Mon
district, home to the Konyak tribe. The monetary compensation and government job the
state had announced did reach Shomwang’s family, but his father says “nothing can
replace my son. We still want those involved to be punished.”
However, Chemwang says that “neither the state government nor civil society
organisations” are helping them get justice. “We are helpless.”
Adds Chongmei Konyak, Oting resident and former Army Supply Corps soldier who was
injured in the retaliatory violence: “There was a lot of noise in the beginning, our leaders
were rallying behind us, but now everything is quiet.”
In the weeks following the incident, Nagaland was swept by public protests, especially in
the state’s eastern districts, where Oting falls. The influential Eastern Nagaland People’s
Organisation, which represents the Eastern Naga tribes, as well as the Konyak Union,
the Konyak tribe’s representative body, had said they won’t back down till justice was
delivered and AFSPA was removed.
However, many say that the seething anger has dissipated to a large extent. Locals allege
that the civil society organisations, which mediated with the government on behalf of the
villagers, were not pursuing the matter as actively as they had before. The Indian
Express reached out to both the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation and the Konyak
Union. The organisations’ office bearers refused to comment, and said that they were
“discussing the matter”.
In this vacuum, the villages of Oting feel especially “betrayed”. “It is sad because our
leaders are not discussing it anymore. Most of the affected people are poor and
uneducated. The survivors are still suffering. They cannot follow up the case on their own,
they will need guidance. But whom do they turn to?” asks Keapwang Konyak, the
president of the Oting Students’ Union, and friend of some killed in the incident.
A case in point is Kumwang Konyak, the brother of Yeihwang, one of the two survivors of
the ambush. The incident maimed Yeihwang, and in the year since, he has lived as a
“vegetable”, his family says. “My brother can barely walk, we are barely able to make
ends meet… but after the initial compensation from the government, we have got
nothing,” says Kumwang, a farmer. He adds that he had no idea about the prosecution
sanction being denied. “We are just trying to survive.”
In Mon town, Tingshen Konyak, a 32-year-old who was injured in the clashes following
the ambush, says he was “not surprised” and had lost hope for justice long back. “But I
thought the government would at least help us with other livelihood options,” he says.
Tingshen’s right thumb had to be amputated because of a gunshot injury.
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The Indian Express reached out to several senior leaders of the ruling Nationalist
Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP coalition government that recently came to
power for a second term in Nagaland, but none officially commented. Asked if the state
government had issued any directions to follow up with the Centre regarding the denial
of prosecution sanction, Nagaland Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said that he
had received none.
The Nagaland Congress hit out at the government for not pursuing the matter. “There is
no political will… the BJP may talk of peace but they have not achieved anything,” said K
Therie, former Nagaland Congress President. “Justice looks far-fetched… the living have
failed the dead once again,” added Gk Zhimomi, also of the Congress.
In response, Imkong Imchen, BJP MLA from Nagaland, said that the state government
was “helpless” because areas under the AFSPA fall under the “mandate of the Union
government”. NDPP minister KG Kenye, who holds the portfolio for Parliamentary Affairs,
said that one cannot “blame the Centre or the state authority”, since the Supreme Court
had taken up the matter. In July 2022, the apex court had stayed proceedings on
the FIR and the report of the SIT, invoking the immunity the AFSPA offers to the security
forces. This was in response to the petition filed by the wife of the Army officer who had
led the operation. The petitioner had asked for a stay on the chargesheet, citing non-
sanction of prosecution by the Department of Military Affairs.
Kenye said, while clarifying that he was speaking in his personal capacity, that he was
“sure that the government would appeal to the Centre soon”. But, Nyawang Wangsha,
who is the Mon district president of the BJP, said there was no point going to the “higher-
ups” (state BJP leaders). “Nothing has been done, no compensation given to even help
the injured survivors,” he points out.
However, despite that, some say the BJP has managed to remain on a good wicket.
Following the incident, the Union Home ministry rolled back AFSPA in several areas in
the northeast in April 2021. It did another, though minor, rollback in March this year.
But the party’s bigger political statement was appointing S Phangnon Konyak as its Rajya
Sabha MP from Nagaland last March — Phangnon, the first woman to represent
Nagaland in the Rajya Sabha, hails from Oting. A BJP leader from Nagaland admitted
that the “appeasement had helped”.
Chongmei Konyak, the former Army Supply Corps soldier, says that following the
appointment, things became “political”, and many went “completely silent” on the matter.
He adds that until AFSPA is removed in its entirety, “nothing will change”. “The
government announced that they are removing it from some areas… they may have but
what is the point? We are still suffering because of it.”
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The Print
‘Totally reduced to dust’: Atiq Ahmed on his life — from a dreaded gangster to MP,
and then in jail
[Link]
gangster-to-mp-and-then-in-jail/1521302/
Atiq Ahmed, the gangster-turned-politician who was first convicted only last month,
despite 130-odd cases against him, was gunned down late Saturday night.
New Delhi: “I am totally reduced to dust, but please don’t trouble the women and children
of my family now,” Uttar Pradesh’s gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed told reporters from
inside a police van Wednesday.
His words weren’t quite off the mark as late Saturday, the 62-year-old and his brother
Ashraf were gunned down by three armed men while they were being taken for a medical
checkup in UP’s Prayagraj. The incident occurred just when the brothers were giving a
statement to the media.
Atiq, a former legislator, was married to Shaista Praveen, also his co-accused in Umesh
Pal murder case this year. They had five sons — one of whom, Asad, was killed in an
‘encounter’ along with an aide, Ghulam, last Thursday.
Political life
Atiq shot into political limelight in 1989 when he first became an MLA from the erstwhile
Allahabad (W) in Uttar Pradesh. He went on to win the seat for five consecutive terms
and moving on to the 14th Lok Sabha as a Samajwadi Party candidate in 2004. It was
the same year that Raju Pal won the state assembly bypoll from Allahabad (W), the seat
vacated by Atiq from where the latter fielded his brother Asad. However, Pal won the
election.
Pal was shot dead in early 2005, and the seat fell vacant again. This time, Ashraf won the
election against Pal’s wife Puja. While Ashraf was the prime accused in the murder, Atiq
was a co-accused.
Once his LS term ended, Atiq tried to contest UP assembly elections in 2009 which he
was allowed to contest as he hadn’t yet been convicted in any case. However, he had
already been expelled by the SP, and with the BSP refusing him a ticket, Atiq contested
on an Apna Dal ticket from Pratapgarh, only to lose.

He tried his luck again in 2012 on an Apna Dal ticket, this time from his bastion of
Allahabad (W). While he filed his nomination from jail, and appealed for bail, judge after
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judge refused to hear his case. Finally, when he did get out on bail for the elections, he
lost to Raju Pal’s wife, Puja.
The SP took him back in the fold in 2014 and Atiq fought the Lok Sabha election from
Shrawasti. But lost again to the BJP candidate.
While Atiq was an accused in Pal’s murder, it was the subsequent killing of a prime
witness — who later turned hostile, allegedly because Atiq pressured him — Umesh Pal
early this year that the state government turned its lens on Atiq all over again.
Criminal cases
Atiq was first accused of murder in 1979, when he was just 17. After years of active
politics, Atiq’s political graph took a steady decline and by 2014, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav
had also begun distancing himself from the man because of his criminal record.
In 2016, Atiq and his aides allegedly assaulted the staff of Sam Higginbottom University
of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, purported videos of which went viral back then.
Reports say the assault took place after two students were debarred from taking exams
on being caught cheating.
The next year, the Allahabad High Court directed the police to arrest all the accused,
which included Atiq. But he got a 14-day remand. Some reports say Atiq also contested
against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but
secured only a handful of votes.
In 2018, businessman Mohit Jaiswal accused Atiq of assaulting him in Deoria jail. Jaiswal
alleged that Atiq’s gang was trying to extort money from him. He alleged that he was
taken to the jail when he did not relent, and beaten up. As the news spread, the state
government shifted Atiq to Bareilly jail. He was later shifted to the Naini jail in Prayagraj.
The next year, the Supreme Court directed the UP government to transfer Atiq to Gujarat
from Naini jail.
On 24 February this year, Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the Raju Pal murder, was
attacked and killed along with his police guard who were shot dead in Uttar Pradesh’s
Prayagraj. The police registered an FIR against Atiq Ahmed, his wife Sahista Parveen,
their two sons, his younger brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, and others on February 25.
He was finally convicted in the 2006 Umesh Pal abduction case late last month and
sentenced to life imprisonment. That was his first conviction in over 130 cases against
him.

Last Tuesday, he was transferred from the Sabarmati jail to appear before the court in
Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. This, after the Supreme Court turned down his request to issue
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some directions for his protection as there was threat to his ife. The court said the state
machinerty would take care of the issue.
While securing his remand, the UP STF submitted in its chargesheet that Atiq confessed
to having hatched the Umesh Pal murder conspiracy and had links with the ISI, but the
gangster denied all of it in court, said his lawyers.
(With PTI inputs)
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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The Print
Four dead after consuming spurious liquor in Bihar
[Link]
Patna, Apr 15 (PTI) At least four people have died after allegedly consuming spurious
liquor in East Champaran district of dry Bihar in the intervening night of Friday and
Saturday, the police said.
The deaths took place in areas under Turkauliya and Paharpur police stations of East
Champaran, the police said.
Seven persons have so far been detained by the police as part of the investigation into
the incident, a Bihar police headquarters statement said here.
The dead have been identified as Tuntun Singh (35), Bhutan Manjhi (40), Chotu Paswan
(25) and Ashok Paswan (45), the police said.
Family members of Tuntun Singh and Bhutan Manjhi have cremated their bodies, while
the police have sent bodies of Chotu Paswan and Ashok Paswan for the post-mortem
examination, the statement said.
“The district police is investigating the matter and trying to ascertain those involved in
illegal liquor trade. Excise department officials are also probing the incident,” the Bihar
police report said.
It is suspected that victims may have died after consuming spurious liquor. The exact
cause of their death will be known after the post-mortem report, a senior police official
said.
Unconfirmed reports said that several villagers are being treated in private hospitals in
the adjacent districts, where they were rushed.
The sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar
government in April 2016. However, incidents of smuggling of liquor continue to be
reported from the state notwithstanding the ongoing drive against bootleggers.
In the last major hooch tragedy in December 2022 scores of people had died after
consuming spurious liquor in Saran district.
The National Human Rights Commission issued notices to Bihar government and other
concerned authorities in connection with the Saran hooch tragedy and its reports blamed
the administration for the deaths. PTI PKD KK KK KK
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Outlook India
Bihar: 20 Dead After Consuming Spurious Liquor In Motihari District
[Link]
in-motihari-district-news-278681
Earlier in December 2022, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) blamed the
authorities in Bihar for suppressing the death toll in the hooch tragedy in Saran and Siwan
districts, stating that at least 77 people had died in the incident as against the
government’s figure of 42 deaths
At least 20 people have died in the last 24 hours after allegedly consuming spurious liquor
in Motihari district between Friday night and Saturday afternoon, the police said.
According to reports, the deaths were reported in Lakshmipur village of Turkoulia police
station, followed by Harsiddhi, Paharpur and Sugauli areas. "It is a sad incident. I have
asked for all information on it," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said after the tragedy.
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News Click

उत्तर प्रदे श में हो रही हैं ‘‘फ़र्ज़ी मुठभेड़’’ : अतीक़ के बेटे की मौत के बाद अखिलेश यादव का दावा
[Link]
Yadav-Claims-after-Atique-Ahmed-Son-Death

मुठभेड़ के बारे में पूछे जाने पर यादव ने संवाददाताओं से कहा कक यह पहली बार नहीं है जब ‘फ़र्ज़ी’
मुठभेड़ ं क लेकर उत्तर प्रदे श सरकार पर सवाल उठे हैं ।

माकिया अतीक अहमद के बेटे असद की मुठभेड़ में मौत के संबंध में समाजवादी पाट़ी (सपा) के अध्यक्ष
अखिलेश यादव ने बृहस्पकतवार क कहा कक उत्तर प्रदे श में ‘‘िज़ी’’ मुठभेड़ ं पर सवाल उठे हैं और भाजपा
शाकसत राज्य क इस तरह की कारर वाइय ं पर राष्ट्रीय मानवाकधकार आय ग (एनएचआरसी) के कई न कटस
कमले हैं ।

यादव ने मुख्यमंत्री य गी आकदत्यनाथ की कवधानसभा में की गई उनकी कटप्पणी ‘माकिया क धूल में कमला
दें गे’ क लेकर भी कटाक्ष ककया। उन् न
ं े कहा कक इस तरह के ‘किल्मी संवाद’ ब लने वाल ं का संकवधान में
क ई कवश्वास नहीं है ।

अकधकाररय ं ने लिनऊ में कहा कक अतीक अहमद का बेटा असद और एक शूटर बृहस्पकतवार क झां सी
के पास उत्तर प्रदे श पुकलस के साथ मुठभेड़ में मारे गए। द न ं उमेश पाल हत्याकां ड में वां कछत थे। यह ककथत
मुठभेड़ तब हुई जब अतीक अहमद प्रयागराज की एक अदालत में था जहां उसे उमेश पाल की हत्या के
कसलकसले में मुख्य न्याकयक मकजस्ट्रेट के सामने पेश ककया गया था।

मुठभेड़ के बारे में पूछे जाने पर यादव ने संवाददाताओं से कहा कक यह पहली बार नहीं है जब ‘िज़ी’
मुठभेड़ ं क लेकर उत्तर प्रदे श सरकार पर सवाल उठे हैं ।

कानपुर के पास जुलाई 2020 में एक मुठभेड़ में गैंगस्ट्र कवकास दु बे के मारे जाने की घटना का पर क्ष रूप
से कजक्र करते हुए सपा नेता ने कहा कक बहुत से ल ग उत्तर प्रदे श पुकलस के बयान पर कवश्वास नहीं करते
कक उसे (कवकास दु बे) मध्य प्रदे श से ला रहा वाहन पलट गया।

उत्तर प्रदे श पुकलस ने तब दावा ककया था कक दु बे क ग ली मार दी गई थी जब वह उज्जैन से कार से लाने के

दौरान कानपुर के बाहरी इलाके में वाहन पलट जाने के बाद भागने की क कशश कर रहा था।

सपा प्रमुि ने कहा, ‘‘हाल में कानपुर में जब एक मां -बेटी की झ पड़ी पर बुलड जर चलाकर आग लगा दी
गई, त द न ं की जान चली गई। इसी तरह, एक िज़ी मुठभेड़ (2019 में) में पुष्पेंद्र यादव मारा गया था।
कानपुर में पुकलस कहरासत में एक शख्स की मौत ह गई।’’

यादव ने आर प लगाया, ‘‘बकलया में भाजपा कायरकतार ओं ने एक ह नहार छात्र नेता की हत्या कर दी। बकलया
में ही ब्याज ि र ं ने एक व्यापारी पर इस कदर दबाव डाला कक उसकी जान चली गई।’’
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क्या अतीक अहमद के बेटे क िज़ी मुठभेड़ में मार कदया गया, यह पूछे जाने पर यादव ने कहा कक राज्य
में ‘‘िज़ी’’ मुठभेड़ ं क लेकर उत्तर प्रदे श सरकार पर बार-बार सवाल उठाए गए हैं । उन् न
ं े दावा ककया,
‘‘एनएचआरसी ने उप्र सरकार क (मुठभेड़ जैसी पुकलस कारर वाई क लेकर) सबसे ज्यादा न कटस कदए हैं ।
दे श में कहरासत में सबसे ज्यादा मौतें उत्तर प्रदे श में ह ती हैं ।’’

अखिलेश यादव, कां ग्रेस के कदवंगत नेता और मध्य प्रदे श के पूवर उपमुख्यमंत्री सुभाष यादव क श्रद्ां जकल
दे ने िरग न कजले के ब रावन कस्बा आए थे।

अपने टे लीग्राम ऐप पर जनवादी नर्जररये से तार्जा ख़बरें , समसामकयक मामल ं की चचार और कवश्लेषण,
प्रकतर ध, आं द लन और अन्य कवश्लेषणात्मक वीकडय प्राप्त करें । न्यूर्जखिक के टे लीग्राम चैनल की सदस्यता
लें और हमारी वेबसाइट पर प्रकाकशत हर न्यूर्ज स्ट् री का रीयल-टाइम अपडे ट प्राप्त करें ।
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Janta se Rishta

मोतिहारी तिले में िहरीली शराब पीने से 20 की मौि

[Link]
motihari-district-2231174

बिहार खिर मोबिहारी बिले में शुक्रवार राि से शबिवार दोपहर के िीच कबिि िौर पर िहरीली शराि पीिे
से बपछले 24 घंटों में कम से कम 20 लोगों की मौि हो गई है . खिरों के मुिाबिक, िुरकौबलया िािे के
लक्ष्मीपुर गां व, उसके िाद हरबसद्धि, पहाड़पुर और सुगौली इलाके में मौि की सूचिा बमली है . हादसे के
िाद बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री िीिीश कुमार िे कहा, "यह एक दु खद घटिा है । मैंिे इस पर पूरी िािकारी मां गी
है ।" एिडीटीवी की एक ररपोटट के मुिाबिक, िकली शराि से भरे एक टैं क को मोबिहारी लाया गया और
स्िािीय व्यापाररयों के िीच बविररि बकया गया, बिससे यह हादसा हुआ।

िहरीली शराि त्रासदी से मौिें इससे पहले बदसंिर 2022 में, राष्ट्रीय मािवाबिकार आयोग (एिएचआरसी)
िे सारण और सीवाि बिलों में िहरीली शराि त्रासदी में "मृिकों की संख्या को कम करिे " के बलए बिहार
के अबिकाररयों को दोषी ठहराया िा, बिसमें कहा गया िा बक इस घटिा में कम से कम 77 लोग मारे गए
िे , ििबक सरकार के 42 मौिों का आं कड़ा।

उपमुख्यमंत्री िेिस्वी यादव के साि मौिों को लेकर राज्य बविािसभा में एक राििीबिक िारा भी सामिे
आया, बिसमें आरोप लगाया गया बक एिएचआरसी का दौरा भािपा के िेिृत्व वाले केंद्र द्वारा राज्य सरकार
को िदिाम करिे के बलए "प्रचार" िा। बिहार का आिकारी अबिबियम 2016 में राज्य सरकार द्वारा
प्रबििंबिि बकए िािे के िाद से बकसी भी िशीले शराि के बिमाट ण, िॉटबलंग, बविरण, पररवहि, संग्रह,
भंडारण, बिक्री, कब्जे या खरीद पर पूरी िरह से प्रबििंि लगािा है ।

िीिीश के िेिृत्व वाली सत्तारूढ़ िद (यू ) िे िोर दे कर कहा िा बक सरकार अपराि में शाबमल लोगों को
मुआविा िहीं दे सकिी है । मद्यबिषेि मंत्री सुिील कुमार िे कहा िा, "ि िो आईपीसी और ि ही सीआरपीसी
बकसी अपराि के आरोपी व्यद्धि को मुआविे का प्राविाि करिा है । बिहार में मद्यबिषेि कािूि के िहि
बकसी भी प्रकार की शराि का सेवि अवैि है ।" िीिीश िे बिहार बविािसभा में अपिे आचरण और अपिी
सावटिबिक बटप्पणी के बलए आलोचिा को भी आकबषटि बकया है बिसमें उन्ोंिे कहा िा बक अगर आप
शराि पीएं गे िो मरिा स्वाभाबवक है । (पीटीआई से इिपुट्स के साि)
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Times of India
Non-bailable warrant against Manmode
[Link]
manmode/articleshow/[Link]
TNN | Apr 15, 2023, 08.20 AM IST
Nagpur: Censuring the city police for not producing Pramod Manmode in court in
connection with a ₹3.5 crore Nirmal Urban Cooperative Bank fraud case, the judicial
magistrate first class (JMFC) on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against the
builder-cum-politician.
The court directed the cops to produce Manmode in the court on March 26. Earlier, the
court had adjourned the case nine times, as the police failed to produce Manmode.
In their 43-page chargesheet submitted before JMFC, the Nandanwan police had named
Manmode for allegedly duping Mukesh Barbate and Kunal Yelne. Initially, the city police
did not entertain complaints filed against Manmode. It only acted after one of the
complainants, Yelne, approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
As per police, Sachin Bomble, the manager at Nirmal Urban Cooperative Bank’s branch
in Kamptee, had reportedly increased the cash credit limit against loans of several
account holders and misappropriated ₹3.5 crore.
After committing the fraud, Bomble in connivance with Nirmal Ujjwal Credit Cooperative
Society’s secretary Manmode had hatched a conspiracy and lured complainant Yelne and
Barbate to mortgage their properties with the society. Against the transaction, they got a
₹5 crore loan (of ₹2.5 crore each approved from the society).
Manmode asked the complainants to help him in settling a bank fraud, which he claimed
was committed by Bomble. As Yelne and Barbate had applied for loans, Manmode urged
them to increase the loan amount. Gaining the duo’s confidence, he also made them
mortgage six of their other properties.
The bank then transferred the ₹2.5 crore loan to Yelne’s account. Of this, ₹1.51 crore was
reportedly transferred into Bomble’s account. Similarly, ₹1.68 crore was transferred from
Barbate’s account into Bomble’s account. Police booked Manmode and Bomble under
Sections 420, 409, 109, 120 (B) of the IPC.
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The Print Hindi

बिहार : पूर्वी चंपारण में जहरीली शराि पीने से चार लोगों की मौत
[Link]
%E0%A4%B0-
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%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82-%E0%A4%9C/521135/

पटना, 15 अप्रैल (भाषा) बिहार के पूर्वी चंपारण बिले के तुरकौबलया और पहाड़पुर थाना क्षेत्र में शुक्रर्वार
और शबनर्वार की दरम्यानी रात कबथत तौर पर िहरीली शराि पीने से कम से कम चार लोगों की मौत हो
गयी। पुबलस ने यह िानकारी दी।

उल्लेखनीय है बक बिहार में अप्रैल 2016 से ही पूणण शराििंदी लागू है ।

पुबलस ने िताया बक मृतकों की पहचान टु नटु न बसंह (35), भूटान मां झी (40), छोटू पासर्वान (25) और
अशोक पासर्वान (45) के रूप में हुई है ।

बिहार पुबलस मुख्यालय द्वारा िारी एक ियान के अनुसार, ‘टु नटु न बसंह और भूटान मां झी के पररर्वार के
सदस्ों ने िहां उनके शर्वों का अंबतम संस्कार बकया, र्वहीं पुबलस ने छोटू पासर्वान और अशोक पासर्वान के
शर्वों को पोस्टमाटण म के बलए भेि बदया है ।’

ियान में कहा गया है बक आशंका िताई िा रही है बक शुक्रर्वार और शबनर्वार की दरबमयानी रात िहरीली
शराि पीने से चारों की मौत हुई होगी।

एक र्वररष्ठ पुबलस अबिकारी ने कहा बक मौत का सही कारण पोस्टमॉटण म ररपोटण आने के िाद ही होगी।

उन्ोंने िताया बक बिला पुबलस मामले की िां च कर रही है और उन लोगों का पता लगाने की कोबशश कर
रही है िो कबथत शराि के अर्वैि कारोिार में शाबमल थे। घटना की िां च के तहत पुबलस ने अि तक सात
लोगों को बहरासत में बलया है ।

आिकारी बर्वभाग के अबिकारी भी घटना की िां च कर रहे हैं ।

अपुष्ट खिरों के मुताबिक कई अन्य ग्रामीणों को आसपास के बिलों के कुछ बनिी अस्पतालों में भती कराया
गया है ।

अप्रैल 2016 में नीतीश कुमार सरकार द्वारा बिहार में शराि की बिक्री और खपत पर प्रबतिंि लगा बदया
गया था।

हालां बक, राज्य में शराि तस्करों के खखलाफ चल रहे अबभयान के िार्विूद, बिहार में शराि की तस्करी खिरें
आती रहीं हैं ।

गौरतलि है बक सारण बिले में बदसंिर 2022 में िहरीली शराि से िड़ी संख्या में लोगों की मौत हुई थी।
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राष्टरीय मानर्वाबिकार आयोग (एनएचआरसी) ने भी सारण िहरीली त्रासदी के संिंि में बिहार सरकार और
अन्य संिंबित अबिकाररयों को नोबटस िारी बकया है ।

एनएचआरसी की ररपोटण में मौतों के बलए प्रशासन को बिम्मेदार ठहराया गया है ।

भाषा अनर्वर िीरि