feeds from sacw.net
print versionCOMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST)
Delhi State Committee
14 Vithalbhai Patel House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001
26.11.2021
Shri Yogi Adityanath,
Mukhiya Mantri
Government of Uttar Pradesh
Shri Adityanath ji,
We are writing to you regarding the lawless action of an “encounter” by the Loni police in Ghaziabad district on November 11, 2021. You are no doubt aware of this shocking police atrocity in which the police inflicted identical uniform injuries by firing below the knee on seven young men. The SHO was transferred but not punished. It was only when he publicly objected to his transfer that he was suspended. He justified his action by spinning a most unlikely tale of cow slaughter. It is extremely unjust that without any independent inquiry, false cases have been foisted on the seven men and they have been locked up in jail.
Only an independent inquiry under judicial scrutiny can bring out the truth. In the meanwhile a case of attempt to murder and other relevant sections should be levied on the SHO and he should be arrested and prosecuted. Such action will bring justice in the case.
The local MLA Nandkishore Gurjar has made a series of highly objectionable statements with the intent of creating communal disharmony and enmity between communities. He is a serial offender in this regard. We demand that cases be filed against him under the relevant provisions of the IPC.
The victims of the police atrocity are all Muslims. This substantiates the apprehension of many citizens in the area, that they have been targeted because of their religious identity. They are all daily wage workers in the unorganised sector, taking whatever work is available. Many of them have been doing manual labour as loaders, some as street vendors, as construction workers and so on. They also all belong to the Rangrez caste and traditionally their profession has been as dyers. At present they were hired as workers to clean drums with chemicals and also to separate waste material. Families of some of these workers informed us when we visited them that their feet had been affected by the chemicals used to wash the drums. They have never been remotely connected with the cattle trade leave alone slaughtering cattle.
It seems that they have been made a scapegoat in a more sinister plan to create communal tension and disharmony in the area as a default electoral strategy.
What is of immediate concern is the urgent requirement for medical treatment for their gunshot injuries. We were told that one of the victims has also suffered a hairline fracture. The others also require proper treatment to avoid infections in the wounded area. At present the facilities in the jail are not adequate. The families are also very poor and have not even the capacity to hire lawyers. They do not have any copies of the FIRs or charges filed against their sons. Two of the families are headed by widows who are highly traumatized by the incidents. Since in most cases the victims were the main earning members, the families are in a financially desperate situation.
We know it is unlikely that any redressal will be done, yet it is our duty to bring these facts to your notice with the request that you take action to bring justice to the victims. Pending the inquiry which if impartial will no doubt find the police guilty and the victims innocent, the Government should release the victims on bail without delay.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Brinda Karat
K.M.Tewari
(Members of CPI(M) delegation who met the families: Brinda Karat, K.M.Tewari, Sehba Farooqui, Asha Sharma, Aman Saini and local leaders)
