भरतपुर गोलीकांड पर पीयूसीएल की अंतरिम रिपोर्ट
भरतपुर जिले के गोपालगढ़ गांव में 14 सितंबर को
हुई पुलिस फायरिंग में मारे गए लोगों और घायलों में अधिकांश के अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय के
होने से पुलिस व प्रशासन की निष्पक्षता पर संदेह पैदा होता है। हमारी चिंता इस बात
को लेकर सबसे अधिक है कि किस प्रकार पुलिस ने दो लोगों के आपसी विवाद में भाग लेते
हुए एक खास समुदाय को निशाना बनाया। मामले की तह तक जाने के लिए पीयूसीएल ने एक जांच
दल को 16 और 17 सितंबर को घटना स्थल पर भेजा। पीयूसीएल के जांच दल में कविता श्रीवास्तव
(राष्ट्रीय महासचिव) दिल्ली से प्रोफेसर योगेंद्र यादव और प्रोफेसर शैल माया राम शामिल
थे । इनके अलावा राजस्थान पीयूसीएल से निशात हुसैन (पीयूसीएल उपाध्यक्ष), सवाई सिंह (संगठन महामंत्री),
राज्य परिषद सदस्य वीरेंद्र विद्रोही, नूर मोहम्मद
(जिला सचिव) के साथ एडवोकेट रमजान चैधरी (पीयूसीएल हरियाणा) और गौरव (पीयूसीएल इंटन)
भी थे।
शुरूआती जांच में हमने पाया कि:
- इस वीभत्स घटना में आठ
लोग मारे गए और अधिकारिक रूपसे 23 लोग घायल हुए। जिन आठ मृतकों की शिनाख्त हुई है,
वे सभी अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय से आते हैं। 23 लोग घायल हुए, इसमें से 19 लोग अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय के हैं।
यदि पुलिस ने सही कदम उठाते हुए गोलीबारी की है, तो यह एक पहेली है कि मरने वाले
सभी एक ही समुदाय के कैसे हो सकते हैं?
ऽ पीयूसीएल
जांच दल ने आसपास के सभी गांव का दौरा कर न सिर्फ पीडितों से बल्कि, उनके परिजन, ग्रामीणों से, पुलिस और प्रशासन के आला अधिकारियों सेभी
मुलाकात की। संभवत पुलिस की गोलीबारी से पहले एक भी जानें नहीं गई हों। पुलिस ने
219 राउंड गोलियां चलाईं। गोलीबारी से पहले सिर्फ आंसू गैस के गोले छोड़े जाने का उल्लेख
है लेकिन लाठीचार्ज या रबर बुलेट का कोई जिक्र नहीं आया है।
ऽ मृतकों
और घायलों की स्थिति देखकर इस बात का साफअंदाजा लगाया जा सकता है कि सिर्फ गोली बारी
ही नहीं बल्कि लोगों को निशानाबनाकर उन्हें जलाया भी गया। यह जांच करने की जरूरत है
कि यह किसने किया। चूंकि गोलीबारी के बाद मस्जिद परिसर पुलिस के नियंत्रण में था।
ऽ प्रत्यक्षदशियों
के आरोप हैं कि इस घटना के पीछे स्थानीय पुलिस के अलावागुर्जर नेता, और आरएसएस, बजरंग दल और विहिप के कार्यकर्ता शामिल हो सकते हैं। आरोप यह लगाया कि ये लोग
घटना से पहले थाने में थे, जहां दोनों समुदायके बीच समझौते के
लिए बैठक चल रही थी तथा इन्हीं लोगों ने दबाव बनाकर कलेक्टर से फायरिंग के आदेश लिखवाए।
इसकी भी जांच करवाए जाने की आवश्यकता है।
ऽ हमने
देखा कि किस प्रकार लोगों पर कहर ढहाया गया था। दीवारों पर गोलियों के निशान थे। हर
चीज को तहस नहस कर दिया गया था। खून के धब्बे चारों ओर फैले हुए थे। लोगों को मारने
के बाद घसीटने के भी सबूत मिले। ऐसा कैसे हो सकता है कि पुलिस के नियंत्रण में जो स्थान
है, उसमें दूसरे समुदाय के कुछ लोग
घुसकर मस्जिद को नुकसान पहुंचाए और लाशें और लोगों को जिंदा जला दे। हमारा मानना है
कि यह पुलिस की मदद के बिना संभव नहीं है।
हमारा मानना है कि यदि समय रहते प्रशासन गंभीरता
दिखाते हुए हजारों की भीड़ पर काबू करने की कोशिश करता तो बेगुनाहों की जान नहीं जाती।
लेकिन पुलिस ने भीड़ को बढने दिया। पुलिस फायरिंग शुरू होने से पहले दो समुदाय की आपसी
झड़प में एक भी जान जाने की रपट नहीं है लेकिन प्रत्यक्षदर्शियों के अनुसार, जब पुलिस ने फायरिंग की तो लोगों
के मरने का सिलसिला जारी हुआ।
ये कदम उठाएं जाएं:
1. जो
व्यक्ति लापता हैं, उन्हें
तुरंत खोजा जाए।
2. मारे
गए लोगों की बाॅडी का पोस्टमार्टम डाॅक्टरों के स्वतंत्र और उच्चस्तरीय पैनल से कराया
जाए ।
3. घायलों
की सरकारी लिस्ट में उनका नाम भी जोडा जाए जो डर के मारे रिपोर्ट नहीं लिखवा पाए या
फिर गांव छोडकर चले गए
4. गोपालगढ
से अपने घर को छोडकर चले गए लोगों को फिर से लाया जाए
5. स्थानीय
पुलिस थाने के सभी कर्मचारियों को तुरंत बदला जाए । उनके स्थानपर सभी समुदाय और जाति
के मिक्स पुलिसकर्मियों को भर्ती किया जाए ।
6. मस्जिद
की मरम्मत करते वक्त स्थानीय लोगों को भरोसे में लिया जाए।
7. तत्कालीन
कलेक्टर, पुलिस अधीक्षक, अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधीक्षक, एसएचओ, सीओ के अलावा तहसीलदार की भूमिका को लेकर न्यायायिक जांच करवाई जाए।
8. अगले
सात दिनों के अंदर केस की फाइल सीबीआई को सौंपा जाए ।
(प्रेम कृष्ण शर्मा)
अध्यक्ष
(कविता श्रीवास्तव)
महासचिव
PEOPLES’ UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES, RAJASTHAN
Gopalgarh (Bharatpur, Mewat) Police Firing Incident
Preliminary Findings of the Fact Finding Team
Released in the Press Conference on 19th Sept, 2011
This preliminary report of the PUCL team pertains to the incident of the
police firing in Gopalgarh, district Bharatpur, Rajasthan. As per the media
reports, the police resorted to firing to quell rioting mobs. The government
has acknowledged eight deaths and 23 injured in this incident. Following this,
the PUCL, Rajasthan constituted a Fact Finding Team to conduct independent
inquiry into this incident. The team comprised Kavita Srivastava, National
Secretary, PUCL, Professor Shail Mayaram (Delhi), Professor Yogendra
Yadav(Delhi), Ms. Nishat Hussain (Vice President, PUCL, Rajasthan) Mr. Sawai
Singh (Organising Secretary PUCL, Rajasthan), Mr. Noor Mohammed (PUCL, Alwar),
Mr Virendra Vidrohi (PUCL, Alwar), Adv. Ramjan Chowdhary (PUCL, Mewat district,
Haryana), Mr Gaurav Srivastava(PUCL intern). Mr. Neelabh Mishra, Editor,
Outlook (Hindi) and a section of progressive members of the Gurjar and Meo
community also accompanied and assisted the fact finding team.
The team visited Gopalgarh and nearby villages on the 16th and 17th of
September and, spoke to victims and their families, eyewitnesses and locally
informed persons. The team also spoke to the District Magistrate, SP on duty
(before they were transferred), the SHO of the Gopalgarh Police Station and
senior police and administrative officials.
The government version, widely reported in the media, is that this was an
outcome of rioting between two communities. It is said that since the mobs had
turned violent, the police was left with no option except to open fire.
Our preliminary inquiry, however, raises many serious questions about this
official account:
1. All the eight dead bodies
identified are of Meo Muslims. Of the 23 persons officially acknowledged to be
injured, 19 are Meo Muslims. This preponderance of Muslims among the dead and
injured is intriguing, if the police was, as is claimed, acting neutrally and
firing on both sides to control rioting mobs. .
2. Every eye-witness we spoke to
said that there was no death before the police force intervened. According to
senior police authorities as many as 219 rounds were fired by the police, which
appears prima facie an excessive use of this measure of the last resort. Other
than the use of tear gas shell, we did not hear about other precautionary steps
to disperse the crowds such as lathi charge, use of rubber bullets. Since most
of the deaths took place inside the Mosque, there is compelling reason to
think that the firing targeted one
community.
3. Local persons reported that
to several dead bodies were burnt. In addition, three dead bodies were
discovered from a nearby well. This aspect requires thorough investigation,
since it is reasonable to presume that the police was in-charge of the site
after firing had taken place and the mobs dispersed.
4. There are many aspects that
point to a collusion between the local police, an aggressive section of the Gujjar community and some
local RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP leaders. The composition of the Police Station
(eight police personnel were from the Gujjars community, while none was Muslim)
and its conduct in the recent past gives rise to the impression that the police
was not neutral.
5. The Mosque bore evidence of
extensive vandalism, which lends credence to the allegation that after the
firing the Mosque was ‘captured’ by a section of the Gujjar community in
complicity with the police.
6. The burning and mutilation of
at least three or more dead bodies and of those who were alive (some of the
patients in the SMS bear witness to this) again gives rise to the suspicion
that the local police and a section of the Gujjar community may have colluded
in the aftermath of police action. There is a serious apprehension that this
could have been done in order to destroy all evidence of bullet and other
injuries.
7. The conduct of the
administration in handiling the original dispute concerning the graveyard land
and during the crisis of 14 September leaves many questions unanswered. There
were confirmed reports about violent confrontation between the two communities
(thousands from each side) around 11 a.m. But once the initial clash was put
down by noon, the crowds were allowed to remain and rearm for five hours, even
though the District Magistrate and SP were at the site. There is a strong
belief among the Meos that that the District Magistrate was pressured into
ordering firing by self-styled Hindu leaders. There are widespread allegations
that firearms from the police station’s armory were taken and used by some
elements from the Gujjar community. This needs to be investigated.
The state government has announced several steps following this incident.
The District Magistrate and SP have been transferred, a judicial inquiry has
been announced, the investigation has been handed over to the CBI and
compensation announced for the victims. These are steps in the right direction.
But these are not sufficient. We suggest the following steps on an urgent basis
to restore peace and public confidence.
There are still many reports of missing persons which need to be verified
immediately.
There is a need for credible post-mortem of the dead to be done by a high
level and independent panel of doctors.
The official list of injured needs to be revised so as to include those who
did not report out of fear or those who went over to Haryana to get private
treatment. There is a need for a fresh MLC for all the injured.
Arrangements should be made to bring back the Muslim families of Gopalgarh
who have fled in order to save their lives.
The entire local police should be transferred and be replaced by a
multi-community police force with adequate representation of minority
community.
The local community needs to be taken into confidence in carrying out
repairs and restoration of the Mosque.
The case files should be handed over to the CBI within the next seven days.
Confidence building measures in this region to reduce the possibility of
communities coming to a flashpoint and to restore trust among the minority
community need to be undertaken.
As a longterm measure all disputes pertaining to community spaces such as
temples, mosques, graveyards, cremation grounds, etc should immediately be
identified and special courts set up to resolve the legal disputes.
Simultaneously, steps should be taken to amicably settle such disputes by
bringing the communities in question together through proactive measures.
The terms of reference of the Judicial Enquiry must specifically include
The conduct of the District Collector and SP of Bharatpur, the Additional
SP on the site, the SHO of Gopal Garh police station, The Circle Officer of the
area and the Tehsildar who issued notices under sec 91 of LRA, which
precipitated the situation.
The role of outsiders on the 14th of September during the inconclusive
mediation meeting between the leaders of both communities held to further
intercommunal resolution at the police
station, which compelled the Collector to give written orders for firing.
The persons responsible for vandalising the Mosque, scorching the
dead, putting the dead bodies in the
well and those who allowed these persons to enter the mosque when it was in
complete control of the police
Conduct of police and administration in the five hours from noon to 5 pm so
as to find out why the weapons were not seized from both the communities during
the course of day and why section 144 CrPC was not imposed when several
thousand people had gathered
The handling of the original revenue dispute to find out why the concerned
Tehsildar issue notices of eviction under section 91 of the Land Revenue
Act when the SDM Pahari was already
dealing with the Kabristan Land issue underr section 136 of the Land Revenue
Act
The fire in the stacks of cowdung cakes (the Baterwas-hut shaped structures
made for the storage and safety of cow dung cakes) around the site of firing that
raged for two days and why were the fires not doused despite the local
availability of the fire engine.
The exact circumstances in which the orders of firing were issued and the
possibility that some police arms were used by private persons.
76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Jaipur- 302015
Phone number: 0141-2594131E-mail : pucl.rajasthan@gmail.com
PEOPLE’S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES, RAJASTHAN
No comments:
Post a Comment