INDIA: Denial of basic rights to village students in West Bengal 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation in West Bengal, about the illegal occupation of a room in a primary school building in Kanchra village, Bardhaman District, West Bengal by the local police.

In January 2001, while mediating between a village fight, the police started camping in one of the three rooms in the school, which resulted in a paucity of space. As a result, the students have throughout this duration been taught outside in the open, and in monsoons when this is difficult, classes do not take place. Due to this their studies have been severely affected. It is also alleged that the police have been tapping electricity illegally from the transmitter in the school over the years in order to run their camp.

Though the parents of the students have been protesting against both the illegal occupation and the illegal tapping of electricity, the school authorities are yet to lodge a complaint against the police.

We therefore call for your urgent intervention. Please ask the Director General of Police to immediately order an impartial inquiry into this incident and ensure that the children of the primary school are able to study in their classrooms without any further interruption. The police should be immediately asked to move out of the school campus and action should be taken against all those, including the school authorities, who allowed the illegal occupation which has denied the students their basic rights to education. The perpetrators should also be punished for the illegal electricity consumption, which is a punishable offence under the state laws.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Victims: Students of the primary school in Kanchra Village
Address: Kanchra Village, Ketugram Police Station, Bardhaman District, West Bengal
Place of incident: Primary School, Kanchra Village
Alleged perpetrators: Police of Ketugram Police Station

Case Details:

In January 2001, police personnel from the Ketugram police station set up a camp in the premises of the primary school building in order to maintain law and order after a village quarrel in which some people died and others were injured. However, despite the problem having been solved, they continued to illegally occupy one of the three rooms used as classrooms. As a result, teachers would hold classes outside in the open courtyard and sometimes under trees. In monsoons when it was difficult to conduct classes in such conditions, classes were withheld and as a result the students of the school suffered.

It is also alleged that the police have also been illegally tapping electricity for their camp from a transmitter in the school, which is a non-bailable offence under the Electricity Act (Section 135) punishable by three years of imprisonment and a fine.

This allegation however, was denied by Mr. Dilip Kumar Ganguly, the Officer-in-Charge of Ketugram police station who said that no complaints had so far been received by the police in this regard. It is surprising that despite the villagers vehemently protesting against these illegal activities, none of the main authorities of the school, including the head master, Mr.Mrityunjoy Sarkar have taken any action. Furthermore, the Station Superintendent of Kandara station, West Bengal State Electricity Board, who visited the school and observed the illegal electricity consumption, failed to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators with the result that the police are still indulging in this illegal activity.

It is indeed unfortunate that all over the state, many innocent people are frequently charged with illegal tapping of electricity and have to pay a heavy price for it while the very protectors of law get away with it. It is also sad that the studies of so many poor village students have been affected over the past few years due to the police camp on the premises. The police have once again shown no respect for the laws and have failed to safeguard the interests of the citizens.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send a letter to the Director General of Police, West Bengal urging him to immediately order an impartial investigation into this incident.

 

 

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