A MARRIAGE hall in Kolkata is packed with 1200 of India’s poorest citizens. They have trekked here from all over West Bengal, from remote forests and dingy alleyways, from Howrah, East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas. They have come because there is a story to tell, a brutal story that may otherwise never be told. Finally, there are people willing to hear. These people may never bring justice; may never be...
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State of concern
A wretched, forsaken corner of the world’s biggest democracy SURROUNDED by troops, the suspected militant saw the vehicle already waiting to take his corpse to the morgue. He expected to die, like many others, in an “encounter” with the security forces. In jail he told a human-rights activist—himself held on charges of waging war against the state and tortured with electric shocks—that he probably owed his life to a piece of...
More »Release of activist demanded
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) will stage a dharna in Lucknow and Allahabad on Saturday (February 13) to demand the release of human rights activist and organising secretary of PUCL, Seema Azad. Ms. Azad and her husband, Vishwa Vijay were picked up by the Uttar Pradesh police from the Allahabad railway station on February 6 when they returned from New...
More »Green Hunt: the anatomy of an operation by Aman Sethi
Away from the gaze of the media and the judiciary, the adivasis of Bastar are paying a heavy price … for just being there. An operation is underway in Central India, but no one really knows what it is. Variously described as a media myth, a comprehensive hearts and minds strategy, and an all-out offensive by paramilitary forces and the state forces along the borders of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh...
More »NHRC pulls up Manipur for not reporting 111 encounters by Sushanta Talukdar
Guwahati: The National Human Rights Commission has sought an explanation from the Manipur Chief Secretary as to why reports of 111 cases, which were reported as Police Encounter cases, were not forwarded to the Commission. The NHRC, in an order, stated that the Commission had not been receiving any report from the Manipur government. It also directed the Manipur government to pay Rs.5 lakh as relief to the next of...
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