VARANASI: Taking a serious note of the complaint regarding human rights violation in the district jail of Varanasi, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the inspector general of prison of Uttar Pradesh to instruct the police chief of the district to conduct a probe into the matter and submit report to the UP State Human Rights Commission within four weeks.

A human right activist, Ratnakar Tripathi, had filed a complaint with the NHRC on January 15 about the poor and inhuman condition of inmates of the Varanasi district jail. Levelling serious allegations of corruption against the jail superintendent, Tripathi alleged that jail authorities had extorted money from the inmates for meeting visitors. If unable to fulfil the demand, they were beaten up by old inmates appointed as writers by the jail authorities. Besides, the inmates are not given proper food. In his complaint, Tripathi further alleged that only those undertrials were sent to the hospital who were given money to jail authorities.

In its order (dated February 3), assistant registrar (Law), Law Division of NHRC, to the IG (Prisons) stated that the grievance raised in the complaint relates to the matter which is a subject of the state. The complaint be transferred to the UPSHRC under Section 13(6) of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act 2006, for disposal in accordance with the provisions of the act.

The NHRC notice further states that in the meantime, notice be issued to the concerned SP/SSP requiring him to conduct inquiry and submit report as the allegations contained in the complaint appear to be serious in nature. The report should be positively submitted to the UPSHRC within four weeks from the date of receipt of the notice.
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