Sabiruddin Bhuiya and Abhraneel Mondal 

President and Secretary of AIDSO and HRD

West Bengal

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on August 11, 2021, regarding the assault, detention, and arrest of Mr. Abhraneel Mondal, Mr. Sabiruddin Bhuiya, and nine other student HRDs under fabricated charges by the West Bengal Police.

With the state government closing schools and colleges, both government and aided, the All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) was demanding their reopening. It started from Keniabandh on National Highway 60 when Mr. Mandal and 11 other HRDs began a road blockade at 11 a.m. A group of 20 police personnel arrived and assaulted the HRDs with fists, kicks, and batons, and pushed and dragged them. Constable Mr. Jagannath Gorai, who was in civil dress, was especially abusive and rained fierce baton blows on them. Eleven activists including seven men and four women were forcibly taken to the Bankura Sadar Police Station and detained in separate lock-ups for over 22 hours. During this time they were not allowed to meet with their lawyers or provided any legal representation. 

Mr. Ramnarayan Pal registered an FIR against the 11 HRDs, on the basis of a written complaint by Assistant Sub Inspector Mr. Mahadeb Gorai under various sections of the Indian Penal code, the Disaster Management Act, Maintenance of Public Order Act, and National Highway Act.

This act of police officials’ violates the right to exercise freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19(a) and the right to assemble peacefully under Article 19(b) of the Indian Constitution. It also violates the Human Rights Council resolution 15/21 adopted in October 2010, which states that everyone has the right to freedom, with restrictions that are subject only to the limitations permitted by international law.