“Police ruined the life of my brother and made him a criminal”

My name is Rifat Jahan, aged 30 years and daughter of Mohd Allauddin. I have studied till B.A. We are 4 brothers and 4 sisters. My elder sister is married and I am 2nd of the siblings. My 3rd sister is 25 years, 4th sister Jainab 24 years, brothers Samir (22), Salman (21), Aman (19) and Abdullah alias Guddu (14). We belong to a middle class family and have to earn daily for livelihood. In the name of property, we only have a house, which is also eyed by land mafia. We are still bearing its consequences.

I am a native of CK 50/43, Hakak Tola, police station Chowk, tehsil Sadar, Varanasi district. In our family, my father, brother Samir and I work to sustain the family and to bear the court expenses. For the past about 2 years, the police has robbed us of our peace.

On September 10, 2018, police ‘again’ came knocking at our doors to target my 14 year old brother. It was 11 am and I was in the bathroom, while my brother Guddu was sleeping. On answering the knocks, I saw police outpost in charge Bhadauria and constables namely Chandrika Singh and Surendra Yadav at our door. They darted inside to catch my younger brother, who got scared and rushed to my mother. The cops tried to forcibly take him away, however, my mother, who was that time nursing a broken rib and wearing a supporting belt, tried to protect him frantically. However, Bhadauria thrust a gun in her mouth and used foul language, saying my mother was trying to act like a ‘gunda’. My mother is a heart patient.

The police had overpowered my entire family. Three policemen had caught hold of my father. They searched my house, although they were not accompanied by any woman cop. We only pled as to why they were acting in such brazen manner and that my brother was still too young. What did my 2 brothers do that the police was running their lives is all we have been seeking to know. At this, Bhadauria snatched at my sister Rahat, which chaffed her skin. They also threatened me that they would slap section 216 against me for sheltering a criminal, and ruin my life.


After half an hour, they called woman cops and took away my sister and brother to the police outpost at gun point. The entire neighbourhood watched this scene in silence.


I was pained to see that the police was taking away a student of class 9 as if he was a big criminal. When someone dared to ask them why they were taking him away, the cops yelled that he too should be rounded up along with my brother. Thereafter, none could gather the courage to question them. At the outpost, he was severely beaten up by Bhadauria with a baton. He kept screaming in pain, but the police showed no mercy on my brother. I could see him being beaten up, but was helpless to do anything. Police kept my brother at the outpost from 11:30 in the morning till 7:30 in the evening. Later, he was freed.

 Due to these cops, my 2 brother spent several months in jail. We have been running around police stations and courts for the past 2 years. I can never forget that fateful day ever, which continues to haunt me at times.


On February 3, 2016, the police outpost in charge and a constable had for the first time came to our house at 2:30 in the night. There were 3 sisters in the house then, but cops vandalized several items. We had become so scared of the police that we decided to send our brothers and sisters to our relatives’ place.


On the 3rd day, we read in the newspaper that my brother Aman and Salman were branded shooters by the police. This stigmatized my family’s honour. My brothers were implicated in a false case by Nai Sadak coporator Arshad that they had tried to shoot another corprorator, Vikky Khan, although the latter is himself a history sheeter. For this, my brothers Aman (17) and Salman (19) had to spent 5 months in jail. They were booked under Gangster Act and section 307 of IPC. The Gangster Act charges were slapped after 2 months, for which we got the bail from the high court.

 After 6 months, a trader Sunil Nigam, who is Vikky’s friend, lodged an FIR against unknown persons for seeking extortion money and shooting in the air. Later, my brother’s name was added during probe. Gangster Act was again invoked citing the new case. We again sought bail for him. This was getting too much for us and to get rid of this routine affair, we took a house on rent at Mind House, Nadesar. However, our hope of getting some peace was soon dashed.

 On August 19, 2017, crime branch in charge Omnarayan Singh of crime branch and police outpost in chare Ramesh Chandra Mishra came in civil dress asking for Aman, who was home. They started assaulting him and took him away for interrogation. They had not disclosed their identity till then.

 My elder brother Samir had also arrived from shop then. When he asked, they simply took away Rs 50,000 he was carrying apart from our mobile phones, without telling anything. When, we went to the Cantonment police station, they said goons must have abducted my brother. This made us even more worried. When we returned home, our neighbour Vijay Jaiswal informed that the crime branch sleuths had rounded him up for interrogation.

 In desperation, we dialed 100, registered complaint on the CM portal, went to the newspaper offices and the SSP. Later, we got to know that he was booked under Gangster Act and my brother Aman was kept at the police lines. For interrogation, he was given electric shock on hands and limbs, which had gotten swollen.


We were still not getting any information and we continued to run helter-skelter. We feared of getting any bad news. My brother was made to call several numbers from the police lines.


My brothers were later booked over a fake encounter occurring on August 22, 2017 in Shivpur. The recovery of an SUV (Bolera) was also shown by police. They were also booked for firing on the police and recovery of stolen mobile phones. They were taken for treatment and sent to jail under arms act.



The police have completely ruined the life of my brother. He wanted to complete B. Tech and lead a respectful life, but police made him a criminal. Salman and Aman got bail in November and December respectively. We got our mobiles on the direction of the court on the basis of our mobile bills.



He was in police custody on August 22, when Durgesh Kumar Patwa was threatened for Rs 2 lakh extortion money. Interestingly, the police had come searching for Aman in the same case on July 5, although he was not home. We got to know from the police outpost that it was one year old case.



The person who was threatened for extortion did not know Aman and he had only complaint under the pressure from police, which has conspired to implicate my 2 brothers. They used to pick up my brothers from home, but show their arrests from elsewhere. Now, they are targetting my 3rd brother. What have we done to them to deserve this?



Today, we are so terrified of police that we can’t sleep at night and always apprehend that cops would come knocking anytime asking for another brother. Now, even our relatives and neighbours do not want to engage with us. People allege that to fight poverty, our brothers were indulging in unlawful activities. This pains us immensely.



My family is enduring this trauma. We sometimes go hungry for days together, while our parents regret this situation. I am the eldest, so I run around for fighting their cases. However, even I am threatened by cops for implication. I always think about the destiny of my family in such circumstances. I just pray to god seeking strength to stand up for the safety of my family.



I just want to know from the police, at whose instigation, they are targetting my family and ruining our careers. I just want that my family lives in peace.



Those who have implicated my brothers in false cases and exploited my family so much, must be taken to task for causing enormous mental and physical trauma to us. They must get severe punishment and we be allowed to live with dignity.



Interviewer      Chhaya Kumari

Victim             Rifat Jahan

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

“Police told accused that they would beat me till their baton breaks”

My name is Rajkumar Gond, aged 34 years and son of Bachnu Gond. I belong to the scheduled caste. I am married and have 2 kids. I run a small betel shop for livelihood. I am a native of village Chauka Bhusaula under Cholapur police station in Varanasi district.

 On February 22, 2018, a few miscreants including Santosh Maurya son of late Dayaram Maurya, Sunil Maurya son of late Tribhuvan Maurya, Ramvachal Pal son of late Bhangi Pal, Vijay Lal Yadav son of Kanhaiya Lal Yadav and Gautam Kumar son of late Basantu tried to encroach upon my house. When I resisted, they started beating me.

 I sought police help by dialing 100. By the time, 2 cops came by four-wheeler, the miscreants had already fled. They informed the local police station and station house officer (SHO) Lalji Yadav called us to the police outpost. The miscreants were already present there, when I reached. The police officer immediately slapped me multiple times, used expletives and caste slur, saying I was trying to act like a toughie. The SHO threatened that he would beat me severely, so that I would be ashamed of showing my face to anybody. Due to his severe assault, two of my front teeth broke off. I could only cry in pain, while seeking to know the reason of his assault. I am still anguished recalling those tough moments.

The cops told the accused that they would beat me till their baton did not break. They continued to rain batons on my buttocks till it actually broke. I was writhing in pain and they were still beating me. At this, my family members begged for mercy and promised to do as directed. However, we were made to stay till 5 pm. I could not even sit. My trousers got torn from behind due to the assault. The cops threatened me that if we complained elsewhere, they would implicate us in fabricated cases and put behind bars. They asked us to do as told. We were forced to write that our land had been divided. Our signatures were taken with coerce although cops did not sign it. I felt helpless and lacked the courage to oppose. I can never forget the day. That perception of police has implanted in my mind forever. Somehow, my family took me to hospital for treatment.

When I returned home, my wife started crying. That day, we did not cook food and there was total despair. I was bed ridden for many days. I had never been part of any police case in my life before. Reminiscing that dreadful day still makes me gloomy. Due to police excesses, we were shaken to the core and got scared to go anywhere for justice.

However, my father could not bear this and he complained to the SSP, but no action was taken against the guilty cops. My wife clicked the photographs of the blue mark on my back due to serious internal injuries. The incident has bred a strange sense of desolation and insecurity in me.

Since then, the accused keep a watch on us. They have become emboldened owing to police inaction in the case. We fear for our life now. The police had kept us confined in the police station till the miscreants did not erect their boundary wall on our land. The local police did not help us. Now, I am worried for my family. I cannot sleep, now do I not feel like going out except for work. The police acted in the interest of the accused. I am wandering for justice. But, I trust the almighty for getting justice. I have still not given up and will fight for justice.

I want action against those who harassed my family. Penal action should be taken against them, so that I get justice.

Interviewer      Farhat Shaba Khanam

Victim             Rajkumar Gond

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

“Forced to sleep under open sky due to local toughies”

My name is Jeera Devi, aged 33 and wife of Mahendra. I have two sons and a daughter. I am a native of village Ganeshpur under Chakia police station, Chandauli district. We worked as stone breaking and crushing labour for livelihood. Since, this incident occurred to our family, we are forced to leave our native place. Our locality is surrounded by people of the Bind community, who are influential.

On March 22, 2019, I was sleeping in my shanty, while my husband was asleep in another charpoy. Around 10 pm, local toughies Kallu Bind, son of late Baghe Bind, and Jitendra Bind, son of unknown, entered my house and started pulling off my sari. I woke up immediately and shouted. My husband also got awake and resisted their attempt. However, they pulled my husband outside with his hair and brutally assaulted him. He started to bleed from the mouth, nose and ears. I began to yell frantically. Soon my husband fainted. When the miscreants were leaving, they warned me not to report the incident to anyone else we would be eliminated.

My husband was in a very bad condition and bleeding profusely. I panicked. There was no one I could have turned to since it was a Bind dominated locality. I wailed and wept the entire night worrying for my husband.

In the morning, I went to the village head for help. However, he tersely told me to do whatever I liked but that he could not assist me in any manner. That day, I felt all alone without any support. Somehow, I took him to a private hospital, where he was given primary treatment. Due to excessive bleeding, he could not walk. Later, we took him to a government hospital, where he was discharged after being given glucose.

With some determination, I took him to the police station and laid him down on the floor. However, a woman constable got infuriated thinking he was lying drunk. I told her that my husband was in pain and could not sit. I narrated the incident to cops and gave them the application for the filing of the case. I was asked to leave saying 2 constables would visit my place, but none turned up.

That night, the condition of my husband deteriorated and we took him to another private hospital. However, they said if we had come after a fight then we should just go away. While, we were not getting any help, the accused were keeping our track.


Then, we had to come to our maternal place in village Marfa under Chunar police station in Mirzapur district. We are now forced to sleep under the open sky now and suffer in silence.

On April 7, 2019, two aides of the accused came on motorcycle and told me that there was rumour in our village that my husband had died, and that they had just come to confirm the news. Now, I am worried that they can harm our family any day. We are not able to sleep due to anxiety and have lost all peace of mind.

No FIR has been lodged against them and there is imminent danger to our lives from the accused. We want that the perpetrators of this crime are booked and taken to task for their deeds. We want security and justice.

Interviewer      Farhat Shaba Khanam
Victim             Jeera Devi

“When asked about the progress of my case, the police official advised me to keep ‘sleeping’ and that cops would awake me”

My name is Jitendra Kumar, aged 44 years. My father is a fauzdar. I am a native of village Khargasipur under Kerakat police station in Jaunpur district.


I belong to the Chamar caste and eke out a living by selling vegetables and repairing bicycle tyre puncture. I have four school going children namely Amit (14), Sumit 11, Ajit 8 and Anshika 6.


On February 1, 2019, I was out selling vegetables, when my distraught sounding wife told me to return home fast, since one Ashish Singh and his accomplices had brutally assaulted Amit. I dashed off to my place and saw my child lying disoriented. Somehow, I collected my composure and took him to the police station. I told the circle officer (CO) about the incident and gave him a written complaint. He told me to come the next morning for any action. I returned home around 11 in the night.

I took my son to a private hospital. He wailed all night writhing in pain. We all grieved and didn’t eat that day. We were only reflecting that our child had committed the mistake of asking for the wages and that there is still no redress for the poor.


The next morning I again went to the police station, but the CO only tried to strike a compromise. The opposite party was also forcing a compromise upon us and that the matter gets resolved at the police station itself. I was livid that when the miscreants did not show mercy to my innocent child, then how could they expect our forgiveness. When my father tried to talk to them, he was also issued life threats. We did not concede to the compromise offer. Our FIR was lodged late evening and the medical test was conducted on my son.


The probe progressed well for a week. The CO enquired about the incident from the local people, but later we were not apprised of the development. One day, I went to the CO’s office and asked cops present there about the progress in my matter. A police official told me to remain sleeping and that they would wake me up themselves. I could not comprehend their words and came back.


Now, I am petrified each moment and do not like to go anywhere. When I go for work, I worry for my family back home. Ashish Singh still issues threats of prospectively harming us and every other day, his aides come to us asking for a compromise if we want to live safely. They also harass me by calling up my mobile phone. They have made my life hell. I fear for the safety of my family.

 I am a daily wage labour and somehow bringing up my family and educating children. Now, the kids are petrified to go out. I try to reason with them that things would be fine, but they are not convinced. I am worried that fear psychosis would impede their growth.


I want that those who mercilessly beat up my child for seeking his Rs 10 wage should be punished. My family should be provided security and justice.



Interviewer      Farhat Shaba

Victim             Jitendra Kumar 

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

“Police ruined my life by implicating me in a fake case”

My name is Shankar Yadav, aged 45 years and son of Pancham Yadav. We are a native of Varuna Pul under Cantonment police station in Varanasi district. We are four brothers.

 

Our economic condition was not good and we reared cow and buffalo for a livelihood. However, we were still happy, but some evil eye struck the happiness of my family, which totally ruined our lives forever.

 

In October 2015, Cantonment police station officer Ratan Singh Yadav kept all of us 4 brothers namely Shankar Yadav, Balram, Suresh Chandr Yadav and Pappu Yadav, confined to the police station for 14 days without any reason. He told my father to transfer his land and threatened if he failed to comply, he would implicate us in a murder case. However, my father did not agree, although he was subjected to sustained humiliation.

 

Two of us were freed after 11 days, but two brothers were still kept in custody. After 14 days, SSP Varanasi sent his official jeep to call us to his bungalow to record our statement. Later, we were freed from the police station after our mother was called to take us home.

 

The episode had completely broken our back, while our livelihood was severely affected. My brother Balram also lost his job he was employed in. Our milk trade also closed down, while our 3 buffaloes died. My family was in real doldrums during those times. It was the time of ravaging floods and we could not sleep in the night due to constant worrying.

 

We went to the police station, but the sub inspector threatened us to implicate us in fake cases. We thought if our lives had been broken apart in merely 14 days lockup, what would happen if we were to be booked in fabricated cases and sent to jail. These depressing thoughts would make us cry and we would feel lifeless.

 

However, the destiny plays out by itself. On May 17, 2016, then station house officer Ojha called us and took our statement. He later took us to the bungalow of SSP Varanasi Aakash Kulhari. We pleaded with him that you had freed us and now your are sending us to jail, but he did not listen to our pleas. Although the SO tried to favour us by saying that he had taken the statement and that we were innocent, but the SSP merely proclaimed that we were to be sent to jail. At that moment, our bodies felt lifeless.

 

We were not even allowed to go home and were taken to the Cantonment police station directly from the bungalow and put up in the lockup under fake charges. We thought everything had been finished.

 

On May 18, 2019, we three brothers were produced before the chief judicial magistrate and sent to jail. On entering the prison, we felt as if our lives had gotten over. The heart was sinking and we were completely lost and incomprehensible. Even the god were not showing any kindness to us. Everyone had turned against us. We did not eat anything in the jail for days, but then we accepted the reality and though how long could we survive without food.

 

In the jail, we were made to sprinkle water and sweep the floor. We used to get good food only when the inmates created a ruckus over bad food.

 

Later, our family members approached Allahabad High Court and we secured bail only after 8 months. after such harrowing time, our family has come on the verge of starvation and the livelihood has been lost after our shop shut down. In the jail, I always worried about my family and their well being, and how they would be living outside and fending for themselves. These thoughts were really suffocating. My old parents stay unwell. We worry about their medical expenses going forward. My wife always weeps, while the studies of my children have been permanently affected. My whole family has been ruined in these 8 months.

 

Interviewer       Chhaya Kumari

Victim              Shankar Yadav

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

“A poor has no dignity and anyone can play with his life”

My name is Urmila, aged 35 years and wife of Trishool. I am a forest dweller and a manual labour. I am illiterate. My first husband’s name was Ramkishun, from whom I have 5 children, including my eldest daughter Seema (18), Govinda (12), Monu (8), Reema (7) and Mahesh (6).

 

Owing to my second marriage, I got drifted away from my first family, while the parents of my second husband also never accepted our union. This way, I am not a member of the either families now. Finding no other option, we started to live under a Peepal tree near the Pachkosi railway crossing.

 

On June 14, 2018, an incident shook my life. That night, my husband had gone to learn auto rickshaw driving and I was asleep under the tree. Around 11 pm, Guru Prasad Yadav, Lakhandar Bhar, Mahendra Yadav and Chukul Gaud came to may place and started assaulting me. When I resisted, they covered my mouth and gang raped me. I tried to save myself hard, but could not succeed. I was profusely bleeding from my nose, while my petticoat also got blood stained. There was no one to help me then and I was getting unconscious.

 

My husband came in the morning and asked what had happened. I told him everything and he dialed 100 police. We apprised the cops, who went to accused Raju’s house, but he was not at home then. However, we did not get any help. We again dialed 100; they came and clicked my photograph and sent onwards, but no action was taken against the accused.

 

When we called up 100 for the third time to inform them that no action had been taken, the police outpost personnel threatened us that they would instead put us in the lock up if we called up again. We were despondent that we had no one to hear our grievances.

 

The Purana Chauki police kept us running here and there between June 15 and June 20, 2018. They neither caught hold of any accused nor sent me for the medical examination. When I shared my pain with the woman constable, she offered me some money, which showed they were not really concerned about my ordeal. I was in deep pain and feeling gloomy that the poor were perceived to be having no dignity and that anyone could play with their honour. The accused after violating me were now making fun of me among people.

 

Then, a relative Santara told me about the human rights Jan Nigrani, Daulatpur, Pandeypur. Therefore, I came here with my female relative. Later, I went to the IG office also to hand them over my complaint, but the police guards did not allow me to enter. They conceded only when I referred to the human rights. The IG lent his ears to me and called up the concerned police station for necessary action in the case.

 

That evening, I got a call from Sarnath police station. When I went there, my FIR was lodged but only against one accused. When I sought to know, they did not tell me anything. The cops are in total complicity with the accused in this case. After the filing of FIR, the accused started to pressurise us for a compromise. They even offered money, when we refused they threatened to kill my husband. We were constantly living in fear and apprehended getting harmed by the accused. They were trying to break our resolve by exerting pressure from all sides. However, we have started to get the help of some social workers, which has kept our hopes alive.

 

My medical examination was conducted 7 days after the assault and statement under 164 was recorded. However, the accused have received so much help already from the local police station and the outpost that they are still roaming around freely. They threaten us that they have money and that we would not be able to harm them in any way. The police, annoyed at us for not striking a compromise, harasses my husband every now and then. They even want him to become their informer. Whenever, he tries to leave for work, he is made to sit in the police station without any reason and tortured mentally.

 

Why is the police against us, I cannot comprehend. Due to their terror, we are constantly on the move. We fear that the cops could implicate my husband in some false case.

 

I am always in a state of worry with these bad thoughts. I cannot sleep or concentrate in any work. I really get peeved at seeing the misery of my husband. He left his family for me and if anything happens to him, I would never be able to forgive myself. He stands firm in the pursuit of justice for me, but he is being subjected to harassment by police and the accused. We can never get over the trauma of those times.

 

I want those who have dishonoured me should be shamed themselves. The accused should be taken to task and even the policemen who are hand-in-glove with them should also be punished. I really felt relieved talking to you people and sharing my story.

 

Interviewer       Farhat Shaba Khanam

Victim              Urmila Musahar

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

“How many people will the police falsely implicate and put behind bars to hide their folly”

My name is Kamluddin, aged 53 years and son of late Mohd Ayub. I am a native of Dhamaria under Lohta police station in Varanasi district. My family comprises my wife Bubbun and 7 children. I own a small tea shop for eking out a living.

 

On July 25, 2018, I had barely reached Dhamaria water tank around 7:30 in the morning, when a motorcycle suddenly stopped near me. The two occupants forcibly took me to the police station, where I got to know that they were a cop and the maternal uncle of the girl. The cops repeatedly asked me about my son Shahbuddin. I told them that I did not know anything about him, but they slapped me several times.

 

On getting to know, my family members soon came to the police station. The girl’s relatives, who were already present there, started to misbehave with them and issued threats that things would only get worse now and there would also be bloodshed. The cops only stayed as mute spectators. A social worker Shahnawas was also a witness to this misbehaviour. He helped my female family members to go back home. I was in lockup during that time and was livid on getting to know about it. All this while, the police continued to ask me about my son.

 

I was so vexed that I could comprehend what was happening. My family was being framed. We had no enmity with Salimunnisa and her husband Abdul Qayum. We shared good rapport. At the girl’s mother behest, I had deposited Rs 24,000 in a bank over her guarantee, of which she has only returned Rs 10,000, while Rs 14,000 is still overdue.

 

Their house is about a bigha away from our house. On July 4, 2018, their daughter Gulfasa did not return from school. Like others, I also got to know about it. However, we were busy in our works.

 

That night, when my son Parvez was returning home after closing the shop, Lohta police intercepted him and took him away. I was still unclear as to why the police picked him up.

 

On the third day i.e. July 7, 2018, my other son Riyasuddin was picked up in the afternoon and freed at 10 in the night after interrogation. I started to get tense since that day as to why the police was after my children. I was petrified and asked my children not to wander outside without work.

 

The police was continuously on the prowl of my kids. On July 18, 2018, my third son (13 years) was sitting in my shop, when cops came and started pulling his hair and beating him. I was livid at their conduct. I am a poor man and the police, at the instance of the girl’s family, is harassing me and my relatives. I even sent letters to the concerned officials seeking help. Then, a BJP leader advised me to give Rs 10,000 to the cops to avoid such harassment. On July 24, we managed to give Rs 8,000, while Rs 2,000 was to be given the following day.

 

On one hand, while police had kept me confined to the police station interrogating me about my son, while on other, plain clothed cops, along with the girl’s relatives, were trying to enter houses in Kahai Sarai. When people objected, the cops pretended to have been taken hostage and shared the video, which became viral. I got to know about it, when the people of the locality were being rounded up in the evening. I regretted why innocent people were being picked up. To preempt any trouble, the police confined them in different police stations.

 

So far, police has only harassed me without any purpose. To hide their misdeeds, they booked several people falsely and put them behind bars. I was also kept in the police station for 3 days and harassed. Our life has become hell since the girl has gone missing. My family and relatives have not lived in peace ever since.

 

We fail to understand, why we have been subjected to all this trouble. Many families have been ruined due to the police’s unjustified approach. People are petrified. Livelihoods have been lost. People have been forced to live away due to the fear of cops.

 

People are still terrified. Due to the bail order by the hon’ble high court, we are free, yet the fear of arrest still haunts us. All these unpleasant memories play before my eyes, when I try to sleep at night. I am worried about my children’s future. I do not feel like going anywhere and always feel restless.

 

I want action should be taken against those policemen, who continue to harass us and that we are honourably exonerated.

 

Interviewer       Farhat Shaba Khanam

Victim              Kamluddin

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

We had always helped other people and we had not caused any harm to anybody to deserve this

My name is Rahul Yadav, aged 27 years and son of Raju Yadav. I am a native of village Shah Bala Pench, Mall Godown road in Kasganj district. My family comprises my parents, 3 brothers and a sister.

On January 29, 2018, when we three brothers were at home, around 11 pm, a large posse of policemen arrived at our place and started knocking at our doors vigourously. We got terrified as to who could have arrived at such late hours. I was literally trembling in fear, especially when they started shouting mine and my father’s names. However, I collected some courage and opened the door. About 20-25 cops immediately started rushing in as soon as the door opened. I was petrified on seeing so many cops. When I asked them about the whole matter, they started using foul language and said the IG had called for us. When I asked about the reason, they said they would interrogate us. They pulled us three brothers by the collar. When I again sought to know the reason for our rounding up, they tersely said that the IG had summoned us. Soon, the IG also came to the spot. I even asked him the reason for the police action, but he did not reply. Although, we were crying profusely, but the IG or the cops did not show any mercy and we two brothers were brought to the police station as we were criminal elements.

I told them repeatedly that I was an activist with the human rights Jannigrani Samiti, but the IG said it does not matter even as he also used foul language. At that time, I was only reflecting that we had always helped other people and we had not caused any harm to anybody to deserve this. We two brothers had to spend 3 days in jail and we were absolutely clueless of the probable reason. Our family was also worried about me and we couldn’t comprehend what to do next. Apart from us brothers, our father was also kept in the lockup. My elderly mother and sister were left alone in the house during that time. They spent their days crying and worrying for us continuously.

None in my family had even seen the face of the police station and therefore, the visit to jail was a big blot to our family’s honour and dignity, we surmised. When, we were in the police station, my father and my brother Nishant Yadav were produced before the IG around 12: 30 pm. While, my brother was beaten black and blue with belt, my father was also tortured mentally. We were also threatened and verbally abused. They said they would ruin our lives.

My brother Nishant returned around 6 am the next morning. We cried a lot then, while my father went missing. We were really vexed over his whereabouts. Then we got to know that he had been kept in custody at some other place. We spent our 3 days in jail. We were kept in such a place, which is not even fit for animals. Our younger brother Atul Yadav also became traumatic due to this unfortunate development. We have been in despair ever since. Atul could not even appear for his standard 12^th examination. This incident has broken us from within and we are still clueless as to what should be done to emerge out of this crisis and get justice.

We just want that we should not be subjected to this harassment without any reason. The policemen, who are responsible for lodging the false case against us, should be taken to task and punished.

Interviewer      Puja & Jyoti

Victim             Rahul Yadav

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi

Police wanted to take away our minor son handcuffed, which we objected to

My name is Sarnath  Giri, aged 54 years and son of late Shyam Sundar Giri. I am a native resident of village Khalispur under Phulpur police station in Varanasi district. I have studied till standard 10. I was a homeguard in company number 2, but due to a boil/cyst in my leg, I became handicapped and thus lost my job.

I have three married daughters and 2 sons namely Rohit Giri, 15, and Arvind Giri, 12. Since, my brother late Rajvanshi Giri was issueless, he had adopted my elder son Rohit.

The incident of July 14, 2018 has left me shaken completely. I had gone to take bath in the house of Chaubey ji that morning, when 4 cops from Gaddi police station came by an SUV. Two of them were in plain clothes, while the other two were in uniform. They barged inside my house and started using foul language although my wife had become petrified already. By that time, I also returned and they started enquiring about my son Rohit, who was not at home, as he had gone to visit his sister in Ahmedabad.

However, the cops searched the entire house. Then, they asked about our younger son and we told them that he had gone to school. The cops asked us to call him home. When my wife went to school and told the teacher in charge about the entire incident, the teacher got angry and instead asked us to sent the cops to him. When my wife returned, the policemen asked for Arvind’s photograph, which we did not have. The cops left while threatening us that our son was a big criminal and that he should be produced at the earliest. We were really horrified and crying incessantly. The cops’ words that our son was a big criminal were ringing in our ears. On hearing this news, my elder brother Rajvanshi became ill and we could see big trouble at our doorsteps.

Since that day, the police started to exert more pressure and since Rohit was still away, we were helpless. It was getting increasingly difficult to spend our time. While, I was handicapped, I also had no other aide. Some people suggested me to produce Rohit before the police lest more charges could be slapped against him.

Then, I called Rohit back from our daughter’s place in Ahmedabad. I confined him to a room, beat him badly and asked him if he had done anything wrong. He broke down and said he hadn’t committed any mistake. I also started crying thinking that I was assaulting my son, whom I had brought up with so much love and care.

The following day on August 7, 2018, I took him to a Jaunpur court and produced him before the judge. The judge asked the police how come the minor had been implicated in the case. The cops retorted that we were of that sort only. The police of Gaddi and Kerakat also started to argue claiming the jurisdiction over the case. The police wanted to take away Rohit in handcuffs, which I objected to and said he would not flee. They were escorting him with them, while he was crying profusely, which was really agonizing for me. He was taken to the Jaunpur jail.

That night, we returned from Jaunpur as if we were lifeless and emotionless. We did not cook for many days and spend our time weeping. Pradeep Rajbhar, the son of Rajesh Rajbhar of Gajokhar village, who was also lodged in the same prison, gave his undergarments to Rohit. When Pradeep told me about it, I went to the prison and gave my son some clothes. He was lodged in barrack number 4. I used to visit him every third day. Every time, I visited him, he used to weep and seek his freedom from the jail. It was really painful for me to see him in such misery. My elder brother’s condition was also getting worse every day. I am unemployed and eking out a living somehow with farming.

I don’t know at whose behest, the police had framed my school going son and branded him a big criminal. I still wonder. His life and future has been ruined. They have charged him with loot, waylaying and firing 30 rounds in a fake encounter. How can a minor commit such a crime, I ask? He has been framed. Police is still not sure who Rohit is and where does he actually live. In its documents, the cops have at different places mentioned either mine or my elder brother’s name as Rohit’s father.

Later when I took him to court, the sub inspector asked who Rohit was. I pointed to my son. He claimed Rohit had been framed wrongly and I could sense that the policemen were also in remorse for including his name in the case by mistake.

I am always worried for my son. Rohit told me that he would not be able to study further, which pains me no end. A strange sense of fear has gripped me and consumed my thoughts completely. I don’t feel like going anywhere. I can’t sleep at night. My elder brother, who was my guardian, has also passed away.

I just want that my son is exonerated in the case and the person who is responsible for our tribulations gets punished. This incident has given us a lifelong despair.

Interviewer      Farhat Shaba Khanam

Victim             Sarnath Giri

Translated by Mr. Ashish Awasthi