India: CASR Strongly Condemns The Brutal Torture of Political Activist Vijay Kumar Arya
We hereby share a statement that we have received from the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR).
CASR STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE BRUTAL TORTURE OF POLITICAL ACTIVIST VIJAY KUMAR ARYA BY JAIL AUTHORITIES AND GROSS VIOLATION OF BASIC PRISONERS’ RIGHTS IN BUXAR CENTRAL JAIL, BIHAR
The Campaign against State Repression received information through a letter written by political activist Vijay Kumar Arya, who has been in jail since 2022 for the allegation of a Central committee member of CPI (Maoist). We came to learn about the gross violation of prisoners’ rights in the jail of Buxar, Bihar. In a letter consisting of 17 pages, Arya described the jail conditions vividly and alleged the physical and mental torture of prisoners and the various corrupt practices against the jail manual of Bihar. He alleged that prisoners are constantly under fed, violating the jail manual and when prisoners speak up against this, they are severely tortured both physically and mentally and are mostly transferred to other distant jails in the form of punishment for claiming their human rights.
According to the above-mentioned letter, when fourteen prisoners from Beur jail started hunger strike on 29th September 2024 against corruption in the diet of prisoners, various forms of insult, mental torture, he and another alleged Central Committee Member of CPI (Maoist), Promod Mishra, were transferred to Buxar jail and central jail Bhagalpur respectively.
When he reached the Buxar jail, before entering the jail, he was physically tortured by hitting lathis on him more than 200 times. He was forced to do ‘Uthak Baithak’ until he fell off. All this torture was inflicted on him for doing a hunger strike in the Beur jail. He was even denied painkillers or any medical treatment. Before entering the jail premises, during the routine checkup, his belongings were mishandled and intentionally torn off. The charge sheet from his case list of cases against him pending before the court, noted contacts with his relatives, various books on English, Hindi grammar, dictionaries etc. were all denied to him and thrown away. Basic utensils like glass, plates and bowls are not provided for him or any other inmates.
On 15th September 2024, when inmates of Buxer jail boycotted the food, the leader of the boycott was tortured inhumanly. They were held by two sepoys and constantly beaten in ‘Sridevi Style’ and offensive slurs and obscene comments were made by jail authorities. This ‘Sridevi style’ of torture was invented and coined by jail authorities. When one of the prisoners tried to commit suicide due to embarrassment from the torture, he was again brutally tortured for attempting suicide.
It is very shocking that prisoners are denied basic rights of pen and paper to right any letter. They are forced to use newspapers to write applications addressed to jail authorities. Food from the canteen, amenities like toilet and bathing are heavily charged above the fixed rates. According to the letter, abuses and torture of inmates are so rampant that one dares to question the authorities. The superintendent of the police, Buxar jail, and other officials are involved, and they encourage all these tortures to continue to profit from scams on the prescribed diet of inmates. No matter how, they are trying to silence the prisoners. Jail authorities are not complying with court orders and have created itself and impunity in the name of the administrative transfer of under-trial prisoners from one to another jail.
The above conditions in jail are very serious and beating prisoners like an animal is a grave violation of the fundamental right to life and raises the question of the concept of prison as a reform center. CASR finds these allegations of human rights violations of a very serious nature and is concerned about the safety and security of Vijay Kumar Arya after exposing the obnoxious conditions there.
CASR demands a probe into these allegations by political prisoner Vijay Kumar Arya by an independent committee and immediate action of the involved authorities. We also urge all the progressive and human rights organizations to raise their voice against this inhuman treatment of prisoners in jail.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST STATE REPRESSION
Organizing Team
(AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, ASA, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, COLLECTIVE, CRPP, CSM, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nazariya Magazine, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi lok manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Mnach, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S)
