Front Page

NHRC serves notice on CBI

KOTTAYAM: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served notice on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further information in connection with the death of V.V. Augustine, former Assistant Sub-Inspector who was found dead in a compound near his house on November 25.

(Augustine was questioned in connection with the Sr. Abhaya case by the CBI. The police had reported that a suicide

note retrieved from his body had stated that the CBI was the cause for his death.)

The NHRC action comes in the wake of the complaint dated November 28 received from Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, president of the Indian Association for Social Psychiatry (IASP).

As per the notice, the complaint (Case No. 223/11/7/08-09/UC/M-1) has been transferred to the CBI Director. The Commission has given two weeks’ time for the CBI to submit the report.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kallivayalil said the XVI Conference of the IASP held in New Delhi last month had called for immediate action from authorities against the psychological torture and rights violations by investigation agencies and law enforcers in the country. A national seminar held in connection with the conference was inaugurated by NHRC Chairman Justice S. Rajendra Babu.

There was a directive from the Supreme Court that ensured medication for those in custody and those who were jailed, Dr. Kallivayalil pointed out. However, while medication for physical disabilities was provided, it was not given psychological health care management or even counselling. This was a grave fault on the part of the authorities. The implications of psychological torture, especially on aged people, might lead to acute stress reaction and sometimes to suicide.

There was a long list of cases of suicides that were caused on account of psychological torture and the case of Augustine was the latest in the list. It was against this background that the IASP had sought the intervention of the NHRC, Dr. Kallivayalil said.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu