Atali communal violence: Haryana rights body for action against SHO

DIRECTIVE The Haryana Human Rights Commission had last week sent its fact-finding team to Faridabad village where communal clashes were reported in May and June

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC), which had sent its fact-finding team to Atali village of Faridabad where communal clashes were reported in May and June, wrote to the state government on Friday to take disciplinary action against area police station house officer (SHO), besides various steps to bring normalcy there.

The commission, which had also held meetings with the representatives of two communities in Faridabad on July 13, also directed the state government to take stern action against the accused and send the compliance report to the commission.

Asking the state government to keep the paramilitary forces stationed in the area till the normalcy and peace was restored, the commission said that the accused who were involved in arson and violence against the minority community be severely dealt with in accordance with law.

While some of the families had been given compensation, all who had been affected on account of the arson and loot be compensated by the district administration and be rehabilitated in their own homes in the village, the commission directed the government.

Stating that the initial let-up was on account of SHO Babu Ram, the commission held that had he taken the remedial and timely action, violence could have been avoided. It asked the state government for disciplinary action against Babu Ram.

“Outsiders who want to foment trouble and incite communal feelings among the two communities should not be permitted to enter the village till peace and normalcy is restored,” the commission wrote to the government and added that in order to gainfully employ the youth of both the communities, the government may implement any state or central scheme for their day-to-day livelihood.

The decision to write to the state government was taken in a meeting on Thursday which was chaired by justice (retd) Vijender Jain and attended by both the members justice (retd) H S Bhalla and J S Ahlawat as well as commission officials - A K Dhul, director general of police, G K Khanna, registrar, judicial and S C Goyal, registrar, law and legal.

POLICE REACTION

Faridabad commissioner of police Subhash Yadav said, “We have no infor mation about this directive till Friday evening.

“We have already arrested nine accused in the rioting case and the remaining have fled the village. A total of 60 people have been booked in the case,” he said.

He added that some families who had migrated to other places had returned home for Eid celebrations.

“There is no let up in the security in the village and the forces deployed there since May 25, when the riots took place, continue to be deployed there. Meanwhile, local villagers recently formed peace committees to bring about peace and harmony between the two communities,” he said.

While some of the families have been given compensation, all those affected on account of arson and loot must be compensated by the district administration and rehabilitated in their own village homes. HARYANA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION