NEW DELHI: A team of observers from two civil liberties organizations which visited the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh has urged the State administration to transfer controversial police officers from the area and has demanded “an inquiry into a custodial death.
The atmosphere of tension and distrust which exists mm the Terai region needs to be dissipated at once,” the report prepared by the team Comprising representatives of the Citizens for Democracy (CFD) and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) says. “Two obvious ways of doing so would be to review all the TADA and NSA cases.. and to transfer some of the more controversial officers from that region.”
The report was prepared by Justice (Retd) Mahabir Singh, Dr.Amnik Singh and Dr.R.M.Pal.
The report mention that in Nainital distinct alone about 130 persons have been arrested under the TADA. “We are of the view that each one of these cases requires to be reviewed afresh forthwith and I an intensive manner.”
The team, which visited Terai from November 28 to December 1, went to Rampur, Kashipur and Bazpur. The team also met a large number of Sikh farmers, a considerable number of Hindus of the area and quite a few political leaders. “Most of them were of the view that the bulk of the Sikhs held under TADA were innocent,” the report stales, adding that most non Sikhs also felt that the police was ineffective and quite corrupt It says that there are about 40 to 50 militants operating in the area but the police has not exhibited the will to catch them.
The team also mentioned the death of one Amar Singh, whose family lived near Bazpur.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 29, 1993
