UP ADG-Law & Order to tackle the appeal of NGO TAHRIR Re. Brutal Killing of RTI Ratna Guru Prasad

UPPCC <uppcc-up@nic.in>	Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 10:41 AM
To: "Law and Order UP, ADG" <adglo@up.nic.in>
Cc: Sanjay Sharma <tahririndia@gmail.com>
Sir The complaint email is forwarded   -- SP/AD UP Police Computer Center IV floor Jawahar Bhawan Lucknow.  ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sanjay Sharma <tahririndia@gmail.com> To: covdnhrc <covdnhrc@nic.in>, ionhrc <ionhrc@nic.in>, "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <hrd-nhrc@nic.in>, "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <jrlawnhrc@nic.in>, cmup <cmup@nic.in>, cmup <cmup@up.nic.in>, uphrclko <uphrclko@yahoo.co.in>, csup <csup@up.nic.in>, csup <csup@nic.in>, dgp@up.nic.in, uppcc-up <uppcc-up@nic.in>, uppcc <uppcc@up.nic.in>, sec.sic@up.nic.in, scic.up@up.nic.in, upsiclucknow@gmail.com Cc: Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2015 13:33:25 +0530 Subject: Urgent appeal Re.brutal murder of village Hardigaura, Bahraich (UP) based RTI activist Guru Prasad , a Human Rights Defender by Village Pradhan Triloki Nath along with his cohorts Ghanshyam, Vijay Shankar, Sunil Kumar, Neeraj Kumar, Narendra Kumar Mishra, and some unknown persons of Uttar Pradesh. To, 1-      The Chairperson National Human Rights Commission, ManavAdhikarBhawan, Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi – 110 023 Email: "covdnhrc" <covdnhrc@nic.in>, "ionhrc" <ionhrc@nic.in>, 2-      Shri A. K. Parashar National Focal Point - Human Rights Defenders & Joint Registrar National Human Rights Commission ManavAdhikarBhawan, Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi – 110 023 Email: "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <hrd-nhrc@nic.in>, "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <jrlawnhrc@nic.in>, 3-      Mr. Justice TarunChatterjee, Chairperson, U.P. State Human Rights Commission, TC-34 V-1, VibhutiKhand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow-226010 uphrclko@yahoo.co.in Fax No.: 0522 – 2305808 4-      ShriAkhileshYadav Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Luncknow, Uttar Pradesh. Ph: 0522-2236181 2239296 2215501 Fax: 0522-2236838 2236985 E.mail: "cmup" <cmup@nic.in>, "cmup" <cmup@up.nic.in>, 5-      ShriAlokRanjan, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Ph: 0522-2221599 Fax: 0522-2239283 E.mail: "csup" <csup@up.nic.in>, "csup" <csup@nic.in>, 6-      Director General of Police, Police Headquarters, No.1, TilakMarg, City Lucknow, Pin: 226001. Uttar Pradesh Ph: 0522-2206104 dgp@up.nic.in, "uppcc-up" <uppcc-up@nic.in>, "uppcc" <uppcc@up.nic.in>, 7- Sri Jawed Usmani, UP CIC thru Sri Sudesh Kumar Ojha, Secretary,UPSIC, Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh – 226001 Tel. No: - 91-522-2288963, 2288949 Email sec.sic@up.nic.in , scic.up@up.nic.in , upsiclucknow@gmail.com Letter No. : TAHRIR/07/2015-16/150614hrdup        Date : 14-06-2015 ======================================================== Sub. : Urgent appeal Re.brutal murder of village Hardigaura, Bahraich  (UP) based RTI activist Guru Prasad , a Human Rights Defender by Village Pradhan Triloki Nath along with his cohorts Ghanshyam, Vijay Shankar, Sunil Kumar,  Neeraj Kumar, Narendra Kumar Mishra, and some unknown persons of Uttar Pradesh. Sir/madam TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights initiative for revolution ) is a  Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization, working at grass-root level by taking up & solving issues related to strengthening transparency & accountability in public life and protection of Human Rights in India. We are now writing to express our grave concern regarding the brutal murder of Bahraich  (UP) based RTI activist Guru Prasad , a Human Rights Defender by Village Pradhan Triloki Nath along with his cohorts Ghanshyam, Vijay Shankar, Sunil Kumar,  Neeraj Kumar, Narendra Kumar Mishra, and some unknown persons of Uttar Pradesh. Source of Information on the Incident: •      TAHRIR talked to Brijrani,wife of  late Guru Prasad and Anand Vir Singh Police officer of Police Station Hardi. The Human Rights Defender: RTI activist Guruprasad,a RTI Ratna 2015 Awardee, was a Human Rights Defender who used RTI to  expose the corruption in various development schemes of central and state government. The Perpetrators: Village Pradhan Triloki Nath along with his cohorts Ghanshyam, Vijay Shankar, Sunil Kumar,  Neeraj Kumar, Narendra Kumar Mishra, and some unknown persons of Uttar Pradesh. Date of Incident: 13th  of June, 2015 Place of Incident: Village Hardigaura in Bahraich, District of the Northern Indian State of Uttar Pradesh Incident detail: According to the sources,RTI activist was brutally battered to death by the pradhan in Bahraich on Saturday. The incident took place in broad daylight but due to terror of the pradhan, none of the residents came forward to rescue of the victim. The local police has registered a case no. 338/15 U/S 147/148/149/452/302/323 IPC in Police Station Hardi of Bahraich UP against 6 persons.  The pradhan has been arrested  but his other henchmen involved in the killing are still absconding. The killing took place as the victim tried to expose the corruption in grassroot development schemes of state and central government.Guru Prasad had filed many RTI seeking information about the development work carried out in the area as well as the money spent on it. Triloki Nath, was very upset with Guru Prasad's  moves and had warned him several  times of dire consequences. On Saturday morning, Triloki Nath along with his cohorts Ghanshyam, Vijay Shankar, Sunil Kumar,  Neeraj Kumar, Narendra Kumar Mishra, and some unknown persons struck at his house. they all were equipped with sticks and rods in their hands. The accused barged inside his house and pulled him out. Later the pradhan threatened him  to take back the RTI application or be ready to face the consequences. When Guru Prasad  refused and showed his determination to expose the rampant corruption, the accused brutally assaulted him with sticks and rods and after ensuring that he was dead, they escaped. It was only when the miscreants slipped, the local villagers, who remained mute spectator till then, shifted the injured to district hospital but the doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. The village pradhan, Triloki Nath has been arrested in the matter. Background to the incident: Guru Prasad was a courageous warrior of Indian Democracy. He used RTI to expose large scale corruption in grass root level development schemes. Irregularities exposed by his efforts landed a earlier pradhan of his village in Jail. For Guru Prasad's exemplary contributions towards establishment of a transparent and accountable regime, he was, in Aprill 2015, honored by NGO YAISHWARYAJ SEVA SANSTHAN with RTI Ratna Award 2015 in Lucknow. Guru Prasad was assaulted many a times and was once  kidnapped also but despite all these odds, he was determined to take on the corrupt system. Ironically, the system failed to garner any support to this RTI warrior as lethargic Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission and state and central government authorities with its own vested interests failed to ensure timely disposal of Guru Prasad's Cases. Many of Guru Prasad's complaints are pending since years before the State and Central Government authorities. Appeal : We, therefore urge you to immediately take necessary steps to ensure that the authorities •       Order an immediate, thorough, transparent, effective and impartial investigation namely a CB-CID inquiry into the above-mentioned cruel murder of RTI activist Guru Prasad. •       Take immediate action on the perpetrators for taking the life of RTI activist Guru Prasad and using all provisions of law, ensure that the defender’s family members are not harassed or assaulted in future. • Direct Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission ( UPSIC ) to put all information sought  by Late Guru Prasad on UPSIC's website in public domain within 30 days. • Direct Central and State Government authorities to decide all pending complaints made by Late Guru Prasad within 90 days. • Set up an inquiry against all info-commissioners at UPSIC by taking into account record of Guru Prasad's  pending cases at UPSIC  to ascertain undue delay in impart of information to Guru Prasad leading to his death. •       Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of RTI activist Guru Prasad's family and others who are still under risk of further attacks from the perpetrators. •       Ensure grant of  compensation of Rs. 25 Lakhs and a Government Job  to the family member of defender for the physical and psychological sufferings they underwent because of the murder and provide a re-assurance of not  engaging  in such acts against such HRDs as RTI activist Guru Prasad. •       Put an end to all acts of attack and harassment against all human rights defenders like Guru Prasad in the State of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that in all circumstances they carry out their activities as defenders of human rights without any hindrances. • Enquire role of state and Central Government authorities in delaying actions on complaints of Late Guru Prasad without any reasons. •       Takes steps to conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially: - Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels - Article 12.2, which provides that “"the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”; •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the SHRC in Uttar Pradesh to also take necessary steps to establish a state focal point for HRDs in order that HRDs in the have a new protection mechanism in their own state. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the SHRC in Uttar Pradesh to convene a meetings of all state human rights institutions in the state [women, minorities, right to information, disability, children etc] to ensure that a co-ordinated strategy  is developed within the State of Uttar Pradesh for the protection of the rights of human rights defenders. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with the NHRC Focal Point on HRDs and the SHRC Uttar Pradesh to provide sensitization training to law enforcement and security forces on the role and activities of human rights defenders as a matter of priority, with technical advice and assistance from relevant United Nations entities, NGOs and other partners. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with the SHRC Uttar Pradesh to publicly acknowledge the importance and legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders, i.e. anyone who, “individually and in association with others, promote[s] and strive[s] for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” (Art.1 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders). •       More generally, ensures in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international human rights instruments ratified by India. Looking forward to your immediate action in this regard, Yours sincerely, Sanjay Sharma سنجے شرما संजय शर्मा ( Founder & Chairman) Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights Initiative for Revolution ( TAHRIR ) 101,Narain Tower,F Block, Rajajipuram Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh-226017 Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sanjay.sharma.tahrir.india Website :http://tahririndia.blogspot.in/ E-mail : tahririndia@gmail.com Twitter Handle : @tahririndia Mobile : 9369613513  TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights initiative for revolution ) is a Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization, working at grass-root level by taking up & solving issues related to strengthening transparency & accountability in public life and protection of Human Rights in India.   तहरीर (पारदर्शिता, जवाबदेही और मानवाधिकार क्रांति के लिए पहल  )  भारत में लोक जीवन में पारदर्शिता संवर्धन, जबाबदेही निर्धारण और आमजन के मानवाधिकारों के संरक्षण के हितार्थ  जमीनी स्तर पर कार्यशील संस्था  है  l