Last week, a video of one such incident had surfaced on social media, in which a Christian principal of a school in Pune was being thrashed by a mob for purportedly forcing students to recite Christian prayers and for having installed CCTVs in the girls’ toilet.

The said incident had took place on July 4. It is essential to note that while reports were suggesting that Alexander Coates Reed, principal of DY Patil High School in Talegaon, was being assaulted for installing “cameras in the Girl’s washrooms”, the mob thrashing him were members of the Bajrang Dal, among others, raising chants of “Har Har Mahadev”. It was reported that soon after the incident, a police complaint was filed by by a parent at the Talegaon MIDC police station. The police had also clarified that during the initial investigation, no evidence of students being forced to “recite Christian prayers” was found, and the said CCTVs had not been installed inside the toilets but in the common areas near the wash basins in both the girls’ and boys’ washrooms.

Now, a report by the Newslaundry has revealed that the complainant in the aforementioned matter, the parent of a Class 8 student, stated that the religious allegations are “rubbish”. Instead, she said that she was upset about the CCTVs, her daughter once receiving a “punishment”, and the staff being “rude” to her when she complained about it.

As per the copy of the complaint filed with the police station, accessed by the Newslaundry, the following allegations have been made against the principal: “Biblical prayers are recited in school, Hindu festivals are not celebrated and students are repeatedly said to not follow the act as per Hindu traditions. If any parent talks about this issue, their wards are harassed…but the most condemnable act is the installation of CCTV cameras in ladies’ washroom.”

When the complainant was contacted by Newslaundry, she clearly provided that she was “upset” about her daughter being punished by teachers, and the principal “supporting” the teachers. She alleged that in June, her daughter and other students were asked by a teacher to “rearrange some benches” as a punishment. She further provided that she had planned to go to the school on July 4 with other parents to complain, but the parent had no issues about “religious” concerns at the school. She did not provide a clear answer, or was herself confused, about how the Bajrang Dal got involved. 

A contrasting statement was provided by Nitin Mahajan, coordinator of the Bajrang Dal in western Maharashtra, to Newslaundry, who had stated that that the parent had approached his group on July 1 with a “complaint”, and then asked them to accompany her to the school on July 4. 

As provided in the report, Mahajan stated that “DY Patil High School is operated by a Christian principal, Alexander. There are also 2-4 Christian teachers and one Muslim teacher. The parent said during free time, teachers would tell students how Hindus are different from Christians. Morning prayers were from the Bible. We don’t have a problem with that, in fact they should do prayers of all religions. But then they started telling students to go to church. They gave more marks to students who went to church.” It is essential to note that none of these allegations could be proved. Mahajan further said the parent told him that students who didn’t comply were “targeted” and “subject to punishments”. The abovementioned claims allegedly made by the parent while speaking to the Bajrang Dal coordinator were deemed enough for them to destroy the reputation of a principal by chasing him around his own school, beating him, tearing his shirt, raising false allegations of conversion and releasing the said video. 

What stands out from this incident is the presence of the Bajrang Dal at the school premise even though the complainant (parent) did not once mention approaching the Bajrang Dal and how this incident escalated and took a communal turn. 

Related:

Principal of Pune school assaulted by extremist Hindu mob, police allege accusation raised to be false

Chhattisgarh: Bajrang Dal disrupts Christian prayer meet; religious conversion alleged

Targeted attacks continue as Bajrang Dal’s disturbing trend of violence against Muslims goes unchecked

Bajrang Dal threatens Muslim seller: Shop’s name “Zayed” instead of “Raju”

Maharashtra: CJP files complaint with Nagpur police against two trishul distribution events, organised by Bajrang Dal & VHP

If you kill one of us, we will kill thousands of yours: Bajrang Dal

The post Christian principal assault: No evidence of ‘forced’ Christian prayers found, complainant unable to explain involvement of Bajrang Dal appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It was reported on Tuesday that two Muslim were attacked by four minors and an adult Raja Rathod in two separate incidents in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh on February 5

While Shaikh Huzaifa, a cleric, was attacked on his way to the mosque, Mohammed Raza was attacked while he was taking a walk in the morning. Both attacks took place within a span of 12 hours and were committed by the same culprits. CCTV footage is available where a few males can be seen attacking an unsuspecting man wearing a skull cap, it may be presumed that this is the video of the attack on Huzaifa, as it happened around 8 pm

This is from #Khandwa, #MadhyaPradesh.

Under the influence of alleged #Hindutva groups, minors attacked Shaikh Huzaifa & Mohammedd Raza within a gap 12 hrs.

Huzaifa, a cleric, was attacked on the way to #Masjid and Raza was attacked at Morning walk, 12hrs later.#MPPolice pic.twitter.com/YJDyEebM4d

— Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) February 7, 2023

Khandwa police, during a press conference said that 3 minors were taken into custody who accepted that they did the attack. As per the police, Huzaifa was attacked by 4 minors and 1 individual named Rajaj Rathod and Raza was attacked by 2 minors and Raja Rathod. He mentioned that the minors are uneducated, who have never been to school and were influenced by a local goonda and some others who they have named but the police officer refused to divulge the names as that would affect the investigation and alarm the perpetrator. He further said that Huzaifa and Raza are both stable and admitted in a hospital in Indore.

Related:

MP: A group of 4-5 men stabbed an Imam while he was on his bike

SC: Notice issued to 5 states in challenge to ‘love jihad’ laws

The post Hate Watch: 2 Muslim men attacked by minors in MP appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A woman was allegedly beaten up for entering a temple in Amruthalli in Bengaluru, Karnataka. As per news reports, the 65-year-old man in charge of the temple, who beat her, has been arrested.

While some publications claimed she is a dalit and even the woman appears to have spoken to the media that the accused hurled casteist abuses at her, the police have told a few media portals that the woman is of unsound mind and is not a dalit, reported Deccan Herald.

The incident took place in Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Amruthalli. Munikrishnappa, the accused, has alleged that the woman tried to enter the sanctum sanctorum and insisted on sitting next to the idol and when he denied, she spat on him and hence he beat her up.

However, the incident has been caught on CCTV camera and the video footage has been circulated on social media.

This is from #Bengaluru, #Karnataka.

Dalit women Assaulted By Temple Administration Board Member, And Restrict Her to Entered Gods Darshan.

Victim Filed Complaints Against Accused at Amrtuhalli Police Station.#Bangalore #Amrtuhalli #Dalit #Casteism #DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/OUnhdaXXcx

— Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) January 6, 2023

It can be seen in the video that the man mercilessly beat her up and dragged her out of the temple. Further, the external CCTV caught the man wielding a stick and threatening to beat her up while another man in a priest outfit was also seemingly heckling her.

“I was inside the temple when Munikrishnappa abused me saying, ‘I never take bath and will not be allowed to take darshan.’ Holding my hair he dragged me outside where he beat me up. Munikrishnappa threatened to kill me and my husband if I spoke about the incident to anyone,” she said in her complaint as per a Times of India report.

The incident took place on December 31, however the CCTV footage was received later, that is when the woman filed the complaint and the accused was arrested on January 7. The police registered an FIR under IPC sections related to assaulting and threatening a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult and criminal intimidation.

Related:

Rejection of Republic Day tableau kicks off a row: Karnataka
Muslim man thrashed for ‘walking with Hindu girl’: Karnataka
A year of exacerbated attacks on Dalits and Adivasis, arguably two of the most marginalised sections of the Indian population

The post Karnataka: Woman beaten, dragged out of temple, shows CCTV appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A local court in Saharanpur has ordered the release of eight persons, who were arrested for engaging in violence on June 10, during a protest against the remarks made by Nupur Sharma about Prophet Mohammed. The court ordered their release after police found no evidence against them, reported the Indian Express.

The CCTV footage submitted by the families of the accused revealed that they were not present at the site of violence on June 10. As a result, the police approached the court and submitted that they have no evidence against them.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Saharanpur) Rajesh Kumar reportedly stated, “We asked the investigating officer (IO) of the case to verify the claims made by the families of the eight accused. The IO examined the videos and photographs of the violence and found they were not present in any of them. We then moved an application in court under the section 169 of the CrPC (seeks release of accused when evidence is deficient). The court then ordered their release.”

Station House Officer (City Kotwali) Ashok Solanki reportedly stated, “During probe, it was found they (the eight accused) were not present at the spot when the violence took place. Since their innocence was proved, we requested the court on Saturday to release them.”

The mother of one of the eight accused persons (19 year old- Mohammad Ali) told the Indian Express, “After offering prayers at a local mosque, my son went to his sister’s house at Nadeem colony, which is far from the spot where the violence took place. To prove my claim, I submitted footage of CCTV cameras installed at places where Ali was present when the protests took place. The CCTV footage was collected from the houses of residents of the area. My son got released from jail this morning.” She reportedly claimed that her son was thrashed by a policeman with a stick inside a police station. She further added, “My son received fractures in his hand as a result of it.”

It has been reported that the police have arrested 85 people in Saharanpur so far, including the eight persons who are now released, and filed three FIRS in connection with the June 10 violence.

Related:

Friday protests: At least 325 arrests in UP alone!
Spontaneous pan-India protests against Nupur Sharma
Indians stand united, don’t allow Hate to prevail over Harmony
Saharanpur: Who were the ‘media men’ whose questions created tension during Friday prayers?

The post Saharanpur court orders release of eight protesters due to lack of evidence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Gruesome details have been reported in the Mohammad Faisal Hussain “custodial death” case at Bangarmau Police Station in Unnao. While the police had initially claimed that the 17-year old had died of a “heart attack” on Friday, the post mortem report has now revealed that he in fact had succumbed to a head injury.

According to a report in the Indian Express, CCTV footage from the police station shows that the teenager was “dragged by some unidentified people as he struggles to walk or stand” he repeatedly collapses when two persons try to lift him, stated the IE report, adding that it was “not clear whether Hussain is being taken from the police station or being brought there.”

A day after his death, and subsequent protest by his family seeking justice and allegeding that Faisal was thrashed so badly by the police that he died, the postmortem reports blows the police version of a “heart attack” as the prima facie the cause of his death to smithereens. Faisal died of a head injury, stated the autopsy reports, and the post mortem examination also “found a severe injury behind Hussain’s ear and at least 12 contusions on his body” reported IE.

Nature and number of injuries on body of teenaged vegetable vendor Mohd Faisal listed in the post mortem report. Policemen had beaten Faisal to death for violation of lockdown. This report leaves Unnao police officers with egg on face for insisting he died of heart-panic attack. pic.twitter.com/JkEzVOkt2z

— हैदर ‏حیدر Haidar Naqvi?? (@haidarpur) May 23, 2021

On Friday night, the vegetable vendor’s family had told the media that he had been picked up by police and accused of violating Covid norms, and then they alleged the cops beat the boy severely. The boy’s family and supporters had even staged a protest at Lucknow road crossing against the police brutality. They sat with his body, in protest and demanded that the guilty be punished.

The three police officials identified as Constables Vijay Choudhary and Seemavat, and Home Guard Satya Prakash have been charged with murder, and suspended. However, it is not clear if all of them have been arrested yet. According to IE, Unnao Superintendent of Police Anand Kulkarni just said, “We will proceed as per the evidence present with us” when asked about the pending arrest. However, Kulkarni confirmed seeing the CCTV footage, and said the injury near the ear had caused internal bleeding and told the media that the probe “will seek medico-legal advice” and proceed “accordingly.”

The IE reports that according to Kulkarni there is CCTV footage available from  the police station as well as the shop in a vegetable market from where Faisal was picked. The report states, “It is clearly seen that when he comes to the police station, he collapses. He is then picked up. But he collapses again. Then some police officials give him water. This whole sequence of events is recorded in the CCTV footage. In the meantime, some of his family members come” and the SP added: “I have also seen the CCTV footage of policemen slapping him at the shop from where he was picked up. They don’t hit him with sticks or anything else there.”

Faisal’s neighbour Mohammad Laeeq, told media-persons that he saw police beating him after they asked him what time it was. He recalled, “They started slapping him… I am not sure why the policemen singled him out as others were present at their shops as well.” The family, stated news reports, have in their complaint, said, Faisal “was beaten up mercilessly at the police station in the presence of Station House Officer” and that “When the family members reached the police station, he had been taken to the hospital and was left there, after which the policemen fled from there.” The report added that the family claims that while Choudhary and Prakash picked up the 18-year-old, Constable Seemavat took him to the local Community Health Centre (CHC) after his condition deteriorated. He was soon declared dead.

Home Guard arrested for ‘beating UP vendor to death’

Uttar Pradesh police have now arrested Home Guard Satya Prakash in connection with the “custodial death” case  of 17-year old  Mohammad Faisal Hussain. Unnao SP Anand Kulkarni told media-persons, “Preliminary investigation suggests that Vijay Choudhary and Satya Prakash were involved in the incident. We have not found any evidence against Seemavat as yet.” Constable Choudhary is still absconding, and according to the SP, “Search operations are being conducted by our teams at several places. The case is being investigated by the Crime Branch, which is collecting evidence and action will be taken as per the evidence.” The victim’s family had in their complaint alleged that Faisal was assaulted brutally at the police station in the presence of the station house officer. They stated that it was Choudhary and Satya Prakash who picked Faisal up, and Constable Seemavat took him to the CHC after his condition deteriorated.

Related:

Unnao: Teenaged Muslim vendor dies after police beating for violating Corona curfew
UP: 1,621 people on polling duty dead, but gov’t recognises only 3!
Uttar Pradesh: Bodies in the river, more buried in the sands, tell tales of Govt apathy

The post Unnao: Faisal Hussain died after head injury, had 12 contusions on body appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued strict directions to Haryana police for use of CCTV footage in cases where such footage is available, and warned that failure to do so would invoke charges for non-recording of information under Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Single judge bench of Arun Kumar Tyagi passed this direction while hearing a petition of regular bail whereby it was getting difficult to determine during investigation as to who was the main perpetrator that caused grievous hurt to the complainant by using a sword.

The petition was filed for grant of regular bail by an accused who was charged for grievously causing hurt to a person. The court granted bail to the accused as there was disputed question over who caused the injury with the sword and since other co-accused were granted anticipatory bail and also since the trial would be prolonged due to the pandemic affecting regular functioning of the courts.

However, while granting bail, the court observed that the Investigating Officer (IO) on the case had not obtained CCTV footage of the incident from the place of occurrence which was naturally making it difficult to determine who had used the sharp weapon or sword to cause injury to the complainant. The court observed that even if a departmental inquiry was initiated against the IO for his failure to obtain CCTV footage, it does not “remedy the damage caused to the cause of justice”.

The court thus, directed Director General of Police, Haryana to further issue directions to Commissioners/Senior Superintendents/Superintendents of Police to exercise effective supervision on the police officials to ensure that in every case where any CCTV footage is claimed to be available, copies of the same are obtained from the source along with requisite certificate under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The court further stated that in case the IO fails to follow these directions a case be filed against him/her under section 166A (Punishment for non-recording of information) of IPC. The court also directed DGP, Haryana to file a compliance report in this regard along with a copy of the instructions so issued within one month.

The order may be read here

Related:

Police can’t use non-functional CCTV camera as defense: Bombay HC

End Custodial Torture: SC’s new comprehensive directions on CCTVs in police stations

Will CCTV cameras and audio video records help curb police brutality?

The post Acquire CCTV footage whenever possible or face action: P&H HC to cops appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On December 2, the Bombay High Court (Aurangabad Bench) has observed that the argument made by the Police that the CCTV system installed in the Police Station was not working cannot be made. (Wajid v State of Maharashtra W.P [Cri.] No. 1111 of 2020)

The Bench of Justices T. V. Nalawade and M. G. Sewlikar was hearing a plea filed by one Wajid over alleged custodial harassment and when he asked for the CCTV camera footage, the same was denied to him, prompting him to move the High Court.

The court observed that, “This cannot be allowed to happen as the purpose behind installing the CCTV system itself is defeated when such submissions are accepted.”

It further directed the District Superintendent of Police, Osmanabad, to make enquiry into the present matter and also into the procedure adopted about working of the CCTV system and maintenance of the record of the CCTV system in the police station.

The Bench noted the submissions made by the Assistant Police Inspector, Umarga Sub-Division of Police which showed that CCTV footage of the police station of the relevant day is not available as on that date system of CCTV was not working.

To this, the court remarked, “This is not the first instance when the concerned police station has informed that CCTV system was not working. Some specific directions are given by this Court at this seat and at the Principal Seat also to see that CCTV systems are installed in every police station and it should cover lockup and other portions of police stations.”

The court further observed the importance of CCTV footage of Police Stations as, “such system controls activities like atrocities against persons who are brought to police station. It is surprising that in many cases submission is made that on that particular day, the CCTV system was not working.”

The court added that in addition to installation, there should be a designated police officer who should be responsible to oversee the everyday working of the system and the recording needs to be seen by some officer and entry about the same should be made in a register.

“This Court wants to see that the registers are maintained in respect of CCTV systems in concerned police stations to ascertain the truthfulness of the submission that CCTV system was not working on that day.

If the CCTV system was not working on April 20, 2020, ordinarily entry of the same in the register could have been taken immediately when fault was found with the CCTV system. There is no such record produced by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor”, the court added.

The Bench took this matter seriously as, “these circumstances create serious suspicion against the concerned police station” and directed the District Superintendent of Police to submit the inquiry report before December 18, 2020, the next date of hearing.

Notably, this order comes on the same day of the groundbreaking Supreme Court judgment in Paramvir Singh Saini v Baljit Singh and Ors (SLP Cri. No. 3543 of 2020), whereby the top court directed the States and Union Territories to install CCTV cameras in all police stations and also issued a comprehensive set of guidelines for strict compliance.

The Bombay HC order may be read here: 

Related:

End Custodial Torture: SC’s new comprehensive directions on CCTVs in police stations

Disarray in Odisha over custodial violence cases

Will CCTV cameras and audio video records help curb police brutality?

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The Delhi High Court granted bail to an accused named Saiyad Iftikhar who has been in judicial custody since April in connection with the north-east Delhi riots case. The single judge bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait observed that a weak-sighted Iftikhar was found to be not wearing any spectacles in the CCTV footage, on basis of which he was arrested in the first place.

Iftikhar has been charged under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance) and 380 (Theft in dwelling house) of the Indian Penal Code.

While referring to the CCTV footage, the court observed, “It is not in dispute that petitioner’s eye sight is weak (-3.75) and when he was arrested, he was wearing spectacles. However, petitioner was arrested on the basis of CCTV footage along with co accused Ali Hasan but admitted fact is that in CCTV footage petitioner is not wearing spectacles.” The court said that the incident happened at night and “it cannot be believed that a person having such weak eye sight would have clear vision at night without spectacles”.

The court also stated that call data records have not been submitted by the police to establish that the petitioner was available at the site during the incident. The court also considered that Iftikhar has been in custody for 7 months and hence, deserves bail.

He was thus granted bail with the condition of furnishing personal bond of Rs. 15,000 and surety of like amount while directing that the petitioner shall not influence witness or tamper with evidence.

The complete order may be read here.

Related:

J’khand HC grants bail to UAPA accused as no link to Al-Qaeda established
Delhi Riots: HC stays trial of accused booked under UAPA
Delhi Riots: No ‘incriminating clinching evidence’, court grants bail

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