HRD Alert - India expresses deep concern over the recent incident involving the assault, intimidation, and threat to the life of environmental and anti-mining activist Mr. Mahesh Sehni in Neem Ka Thana, Sikar, Rajasthan, on March 29, 2023. Mr. Sehni was attacked by individuals allegedly connected to the illegal mining mafia, led by Mr. Hansraj Gurjar, while he was presenting evidence of heavy blasting to a team from the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Ajmer.
Despite Mr. Sehni filing a complaint at Neem Ka Thana police station and an FIR being registered against Mr. Hansraj and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal intimidation, no arrests have been made, and no further action has been taken. The local citizens have accused the police of negligence, suggesting a potential collusion between the police and the mining mafia due to influential connections.
HRDA raises serious concerns about the safety of human rights defenders (HRDs) in Rajasthan. It violates Article 12 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, emphasizing protection against arbitrary interference and attacks on the defender's honor and reputation. The HRD Alert - India calls for immediate police protection for Mr. Mahesh Sehni, in compliance with the obligations outlined in the Declaration to safeguard defenders from violations by non-State actors.
HRDA urgently appeals to the NHRC to direct the Director General of Police of Rajasthan and the District Collector and Magistrate of Sikar to conduct a thorough, transparent, effective, and impartial investigation into the incident. Immediate action on the perpetrators, including Mr. Hansraj Gurjar, is crucial as there is a severe threat to Mr. Sehni's life. Additionally, the Commission is urged to instruct the Director General of Police to take swift action against negligent police personnel and ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Mahesh Sehni and his family without impeding his freedom as an activist.
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