Balder Murmu

HRD

Jharkhand

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on January 31, 2022 regarding the abduction and illegal detention of Adivasi HRD and Adivasi Mulvasi Vikas Manch activist by Jharkhand Police. 

On January 29, 2022, policemen in an official vehicle arrived in Mr. Baldev Murmu’s neighbourhood Rohaniya tola in Narki-Khurd village in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand.  The police dragged him forcibly into the police vehicle and threatened him by showing a gun when he protested. The police gave him no reason for arresting him. The policemen then searched Mr. Murmu’s house without showing any search warrant, and seized meeting registers, banners and flags of Adivasi Mulvasi Vikas Manch as well as Mr. Murmu’s PAN card, Aadhar card and mobile phone without providing any seizure memo. The HRD was taken to Vishnugarh Police Station and was detained for over 48 hours without being produced before a magistrate.

Family members and villagers visited the police station on two occasions to inquire about the HRD and the reasons for his detention. On both occasions, they were told that Mr. Murmu had been detained on orders from higher authorities, and these authorities would question him subsequently. Family members and villagers were not informed of any case, complaint or warrant against the HRD. 

The actions against Mr. Baldev Murmu violates multiple provisions (Guidelines 2,3, 4, 5) of the DK Basu Guidelines of Arrest by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and amounts to abduction by the Jharkhand police. The Article 22 of the Indian Constitution also states that a person cannot be denied the right to a lawyer.