Shillong, Aug 5: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has ruled in favour of former superintendent of police (SP) of East Khasi Hills district, Rituraj Ravi, in a case of alleged human rights violation against one activist staging a hunger strike at the Secretariat last year.
The MHRC said the testimonies of the witnesses were not in harmony on the core incident, and the allegations against Ravi were not substantiated.
“As no case of violation of human rights is made out against the respondent Rituraj Ravi and the case is closed,” the Commission said in its order passed on July 25
The MHRC registered the case based on complaints stating that a group of heavily armed police personnel led by Ravi attempted to forcefully remove the activist Bindas Syiem from a hunger strike without a female police officer or executive magistrate on June 9, 2024.
The protest was staged against delay in repair of Nongpoh-Umden road.
The complainants in the case include one Enlang Sawian from Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Donbok Dkhar and Shaniah Nongrum of Hynniewtrep Integrated Organization (HITO), and Purity Phawa and Marylis Mawrie.
After examining the evidence on record, the Commission found that the testimonies of the witnesses, including the aggrieved person Bindas Syiem, were not consistent and reliable.
According to the Commission, the HITO leaders did not appear before to record their statements as aggrieved persons.
The Commission noted that the other persons present with Syiem on the night of the incident were not produced for evidence, and the video clip of the incident was also not produced.
However, the commission suggested that the Director General of Police may like to examine the entire incident and issue necessary directions/instructions for future guidance of officers in dealing with such situations.
“However, during the course of hearing of the case, the Commission got the impression that the whole incident/commotion could have been avoided had the Superintendent of Police been accompanied by the magistrate/medical officer,” it added.
