NHRC takes note of the complaint of Lagacherla farmers and issues notices to Telangana CS, DGP-Telangana Today

Considering the seriousness of the allegations, the Commission has also decided to immediately dispatch a joint team of law enforcement officials and investigators to investigate the case on the spot and submit a report within one week.

Hyderabad: This is kind of a big win for BRS. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken note of the complaint filed by residents of Lagacherla village in Vikarabad district alleging police harassment, physical abuse and false criminal charges. The farmers filed a complaint with the Delhi Commission with the help of BRS last Monday.

According to a press release issued by NHRC, the alleged action came after villagers protested against the government’s acquisition of land for the proposed pharmaceutical village without following due procedures. Most of the victims of the alleged atrocities claim that they came from Scheduled Castesscheduled tribes and Other backward communities. The complaint was filed by at least 12 victims who visited the Commission and prayed for intervention to save them from starvation in the matter, it said.

The press release said that as per the complaint, the district collector, accompanied by other officials, arrived at the house on November 11. Lagacherla village to announce compulsory land acquisition for a proposed pharmaceutical project. That same evening, hundreds of police, allegedly accompanied by local thugs, raided the village and attacked protesting residents. They did not even spare pregnant women.

“Internet services and power supplies were also allegedly cut off to prevent anyone from contacting anyone for help. The police have allegedly registered an FIR on false complaints against villagers, including women, who forced some victims to leave their homes in fear and hide in forests and farmlands without food, medical care, basic amenities, etc.” , the message says.

“The Commission noted that the content of the complaint, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violations that is truly troubling. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Telangana, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The report is expected to provide information on the status of FIRs, persons in judicial custody and also villagers who, out of fear, are allegedly hiding in forest areas without basic amenities. The commission would also like to know whether any medical examination was carried out on the affected women and whether medical assistance was provided to the affected villagers,” the statement said.

Considering the seriousness of the allegations, the Commission has also decided to immediately dispatch a combined team of its law enforcement officers and investigators to investigate the case on the spot and submit a report within one week.

The Commission also noted that the land that is currently being forcibly acquired without any prior notice is fertile agricultural land that has been owned and acquired for generations by persons belonging to the UK/ ST and OBC category and that farmers have been protesting against this for over four to five months now.