Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner in West Bengal, MASUM, regarding a missing 13 year-old girl from Basanti Colony in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is alleged that the Ultadanga police refused to register the complaint of the girl’s disappearance lodged by her seriously ailing mother, Mrs. Shahanara Bibi. It is alleged that the mother, who is also a widow, was asked to come to the Ultadanga police station several times during the evening even though, according to the law, it is illegal to summon a women or a child to a police station at this time. The mother is also scared to go the police station as a result of the poor treatment she experienced at the hand of the officers. It is also alleged that she is receiving death threats from the alleged perpetrator.
CASE DETAILS:
At around 10:00 am on 11 February 2007, a 13 year-old girl named Ms. Fatema Khatun went missing from the Ultadanga Railway Station while she was on her way to her aunt’s house in Lakshikantapur, South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
Fatema’s uncle, Mr. Jasimuddin (no relation to the aunt she was visiting) said he had seen the girl take a train. He states, “Fatema took a train to Lakshikantapur from Ultadanga railway station. But after three days, Fatema’s aunt came to Fatemas house and told her mother that Fatema did not go to her aunt’s house in Lakshikantapur.”
On February 17, after a tireless search for her daughter, Mrs. Sahanara went to the Ultadanga Police Station to lodge a complaint regarding the disappearance. However, the duty officer allegedly refused to register the complaint and advised Mrs. Shahanara to lodge a case with the Government Railway Police Station at Dumdum or at Railway Protection Force at Sealdah.
On 21 February 2007, Mrs. Sahanara again went to lodge a complaint with the Ultadanga Police Station as her daughter had still not returned. Once again, Sub Inspector (SI) of the Ultadanga police station Mr. Annapurna Sarkar allegedly refused to register the case and asked Mrs. Shahanara to bring Mr. Jasimuddin to the police station instead.
Then on 22 February 2007, Mrs. Sahanara went to lodge a written complaint at with the Government Railway Police at Ultadanga; however, the duty officer treated her badly in the same way and manner as the police officer of Ultadanga police had earlier.
When a fact-finding team was sent to investigate, Mr. Annapurna Sarkar, Sub-inspector of Ultadanga Police Station, refused to register the case even though he admitted the girl was missing. Instead, he once again asked Mrs. Sahanara to bring Mr. Jasimuddin to the police station.
It was only when Deputy Commissioner Mr. Partha Ghosh intervened in the case on February 27 that the officer-in-charge of the Ultadanga Police recorded the incident in their General Diary (G.D.E is 2264). Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Mr. Jasimuddin informed the Ultadanga police that he saw Fatema leaving for Laxmikantpoor by train at the Ultadanga station. As a result of the uncle’s deep knowledge of the girl’s final moments before the disappearance, Mrs. Sahanara has become suspicious him.
It has also been reported that the Ultadanga Police believe that Mr. Jasimuddin is the prime suspect in the case. However, they have taken no action in summoning the alleged perpetrator to record a statement. On the contrary, the police have allegedly harassed the victim’s mother by asking her to come to the police station in the evening several times. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Mr. Jasimuddin is now threatening Ms. Shahanara not to pursue the case further otherwise she will face grave consequences.
The AHRC is concerned by the police’s deliberate inaction into the alleged disappearance of Fatema and the continuous harassment that her ailing mother is receiving from the police and the prime suspect.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
To our regret, police authorities in India make undue delays in registering and investigating cases due to the nexus between police and criminals. It is often the poor who face unbearable hardships caused by police inaction. Lack of prompt action by the police causes great insecurity among the victims and it weakens the very foundation of the criminal justice system by provoking the victim to take other courses of action to solve their problems and thus it encourages violence and corruption in the society.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the relevant authorities listed below calling for an immediate investigation into the alleged case of a missing girl and the police inaction in West Bengal. We also request that you express your hope for an immediate and safe return of the victim to her family.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
INDIA: Police refuse to register the case of a missing girl in West Bengal
Name of victim: Fatema Khatun, age 13 years, d/o Late Saheed Mulla, residing at 4, Basanti Colony, Ultadanga, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Alleged perpetrators:
1. Annapurna Sarkar, Sub Inspector, Ultadanga Police Station, Kolkata, West Bengal.
2. Duty Officer, Ultadanga Police Station, Kolkata, West Bengal.
3. Duty Officer, General Railway Police – Ultadanga, Kolkata, West Bengal.
4. Mr. Jasimuddin, uncle of Fatema Khatun, Basanti Colony, Ultadanga, Kolkata, West Bengal
Place of Incident: Basanti Colony in Kolkata, West Bengal
Date of Incident: 11 February 2007
I am writing to voice my concern regarding a missing 13-year-old girl from Basanti Colony in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is alleged that the Ultadanga police refused to register the complaint of the girl’s disappearance lodged by her seriously ailing mother, Mrs. Shahanara Bibi. I have also been told that the mother is reportedly being threatened and harassed by the police and the alleged perpetrator.
According to the information I have received, at around 10:00 am on 11 February 2007, Fatema Khatun went missing from the Ultadanga Railway Station while she was on her way to her aunt’s house in Lakshikantapur, South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
I understand that Fatema’s uncle, Mr. Jasimuddin (no relation to the aunt she was visiting) said he had seen the girl take a train. He states, “Fatema took a train to Lakshikantapur from Ultadanga railway station. But after three days, Fatema’s aunt came to Fatemas house and told her mother that Fatema did not go to her aunt’s house in Lakshikantapur.”
Then on February 17, after a tireless search for her daughter, Mrs. Sahanara went to the Ultadanga Police Station to lodge a complaint regarding the disappearance. However, the duty officer allegedly refused to register the complaint and advised Mrs. Shahanara to lodge a case with the Government Railway Police Station at Dumdum or at Railway Protection Force at Sealdah.
On 21 February 2007, Mrs. Sahanara again went to lodge a complaint with the Ultadanga Police Station as her daughter had still not returned. Once again, Sub Inspector (SI) of the Ultadanga police station Mr. Annapurna Sarkar allegedly refused to register the case and asked Mrs. Shahanara to bring Mr. Jasimuddin to the police station instead.
Not surprisingly it seems, again on 22 February 2007, Mrs. Sahanara went to lodge a written complaint at with the Government Railway Police at Ultadanga; however, the duty officer treated her badly in the same way and manner as the police officer of Ultadanga police had earlier.
When a fact-finding team was sent to investigate, Mr. Annapurna Sarkar, Sub-inspector of Ultadanga Police Station, refused to register the case even though he admitted the girl was missing. Instead, he once again asked Mrs. Sahanara to bring Mr. Jasimuddin to the police station.
It was only when Deputy Commissioner Mr. Partha Ghosh intervened in the case on February 27 that the officer-in-charge of the Ultadanga Police recorded the incident in their General Diary (G.D.E is 2264). Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Mr. Jasimuddin informed the Ultadanga police that he saw Fatema leaving for Laxmikantpoor by train at the Ultadanga station. As a result of the uncles deep knowledge of the girls final moments before the disappearance, Mrs. Sahanara has become suspicious him.
I also know that the Ultadanga Police allegedly believe that Mr. Jasimuddin is the prime suspect in the case. However, they have taken no action in summoning the alleged perpetrator to record a statement. On the contrary, the police have allegedly harassed the victim’s mother by asking her to come to the police station in the evening several times. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Mr. Jasimuddin is now threatening Ms. Shahanara not to pursue the case further otherwise she will face grave consequences.
It shocks me to learn that the police have refused to take up the case and are taking no actions in investigating or arresting the alleged the perpetrators. I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this case to ensure an independent investigation is conducted and that all necessary steps are made to ensure the safe return of the victim into the guardianship of her mother. I also request you to take disciplinary action against the police officers responsible for the inaction and harassment of the victim’s mother.
I trust that your intervention will be forthcoming in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
———————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Chief Minister/ Minister of Home Department
Government of West Bengal
Writer’s Building
Kolkata – 700 001
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 2214 5480/ 2214 1341
2. Mr. Subhash Awasthi
Director General of Police
Government of West Bengal
Writers Buildings
Kolkata-1
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 2214 4498 / 2214 5486
3. Home Secretary
Government of West Bengal
Writers’ Buildings
Kolkata – 700001
West Bengal
INDIA
Tel: +91 33 2214 5656
Fax: +91 33 2214 3001
Email: sechome@wb.gov.in
4. Chief Secretary
Government of West Bengal
Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata – 700001
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 22144328
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
