New Delhi, July 22: The Indigenous Lawyers Association of India (ILAI) on Saturday welcomed the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against abduction of five members of a tribal family from police custody by a mob, parading naked of two of the tribal women, and brutal gang-rape of one of them by the mob, and murder of two male members who tried to protect the women at B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district in Manipur on May 4. The lawyers’ body urged that the investigation team visit Manipur.
On July 20, the ILAI filed the complaint asking the NHRC to immediately depute a fact-finding team of the NHRC to conduct a spot inquiry into the incidents; direct the state government to immediately arrest all the accused persons and take strict legal action against them under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and IPC and prosecute them in a fast track court.
It also asked NHRC to give direction for compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the gang-rape victim, Rs 25 lakh to the women who were grouped and paraded naked, Rs 50 lakh to the next of kin of each of the two persons killed, and further to provide separately the statutory compensation as provided under the SC/ST Act Rules.
On July 21, the NHRC took cognizance, registered the complaint No. 49/14/16/2023-WC and directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Manipur, to submit a detailed report on the matter within four weeks, including status of the investigation of the FIRs registered with regard to the incidents, health status of the victim women and other injured persons as well as compensation, if any, granted to the aggrieved persons/ families.
The NHRC also directed to submit information about the steps taken/ proposed to be taken to safeguard the rights of the citizens, especially women and vulnerable sections of society from such barbaric incidents.
“This is a fit case for investigation by the Investigation Division of the NHRC rather than calling for reports from the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the State,” stated Mr Tejang Chakma, Complaints Coordinator of the ILAI.
