Civil society organizations’ PIL in Gujarat HC highlights human rights violations in public flogging of Muslims

Ahmedabad: Raising the concerns of increased instances of custodial violence, including the public flogging of eight to ten Muslims, by the Junagadh police, civil society organizations Lok Adhikar Sangh and Minority Coordination Committee of Gujarat have approached the Gujarat High Court with a public interest litigation.

The petition, filed on Monday, shed light on a distressing incident that occurred on June 16, when violence erupted following the issuance of demolition notices to five Islamic religious sites by the local civic body.

According to the petition, a group of 8-10 Muslims detained by the Junagadh police were subjected to public flogging in front of Geban Shah Masjid at Majewadi gate, without any legal proceedings or court verdict. The petition emphasized that such acts of police brutality against citizens, particularly those belonging to minority communities, constitute severe human rights violations.

The plea also revealed that several arrested juveniles lodged written complaints of custodial violence and torture, which were subsequently withdrawn after alleged police intervention. Similarly, six other individuals, who were arrested in connection with the case, also lodged complaints of custodial violence, beatings, and denial of medical treatment, only to face obstruction from the police when seeking medical certificates to document their injuries.

The petitioners highlighted the delayed production of the victims before the magistrate court, stating that they were initially detained as suspects without receiving any medical attention following the public flogging.

Apart from that Junagadh police reportedly wreaked havoc on the homes of the arrested individuals, adding to the distress and fear among their relatives. The petitioners noted that these relatives are now too frightened to approach the Gujarat High Court with their grievances, as they fear the open-ended nature of the FIR allows the police to implicate anyone they desire.

To address these grave allegations, the petitioners have urged the high court to direct the principal district and sessions judge of Junagadh or a senior judicial officer to investigate the incidents of custodial violence, ransacking, and property destruction.

Besides, they sought the formation of a team of senior IPS officers from outside the Junagadh range or district to inquire into the public flogging and custodial violence, with a specified deadline for submitting a comprehensive report.

Junagadh SP Ravi Vasamsetty announced that an inquiry would be initiated by DySP Mangrol to investigate the public flogging incident. However, the petitioners are also seeking the court's intervention to hold the responsible police officers in contempt of court for violating the guidelines outlined in the D K Basu judgment.

The night of June 16 witnessed clashes between locals and the police following the issuance of demolition notices by the Junagadh Municipal Corporation for alleged encroachments on public roads by five Islamic structures.

The violent confrontations resulted in injuries to four police officials, one civilian fatality, vandalism of a state transport bus and a police chowki, as well as damage to police vehicles. Approximately 180 people were detained, and since then, 35 arrests have been made.