Shillong, Aug 5: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has ruled that there was no violation of the human rights of hunger striker Bindas Syiem by former East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi in a case going back to June 2024.
Syiem had started a hunger strike near the Secretariat against the delay in the repair of the Nongpoh-Umden road in Ri-Bhoi. Her cause garnered much support from ordinary people but the authorities ostensibly became concerned for her health as the hunger strike progressed. Ravi showed up at the protest site with “heavily armed” policemen. He was accused of being intoxicated and of trying to forcefully take Syiem to hospital.
The MHRC considered three separate complaints over the incident together and cleared Ravi of any violation of Syiem’s rights. However, the commission did note that the entire controversy could have been avoided had the SP taken along a magistrate or medical officer. The three-member commission stated that the Director General of Police may, as a result, want to examine the incident and “issue necessary directions/instructions as deemed fit for future guidance of officers in dealing with such situations.”
Two complaints were filed by members of pressure groups – Enlang Sawian of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) and Donbok Dkhar and Shaniah Nongrum of the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO). None of these three individuals bothered to turn up for the MHRC hearing, however.
Instead, the commission took testimony from Syiem, journalist Kyrmen Uriah and another complainant Purity Phawa. However, the testimonies “were not in harmony on the core incident”, not consistent and not reliable.
The commission also noted that the other persons present with Syiem on the night of the incident were not produced for evidence and a reported video clip of the incident was also not produced.
In giving evidence, Syiem said that Ravi wanted to take her forcefully to a waiting ambulance but was opposed by Syiem’s supporters, leading him to leave abruptly. However, the police officer countered by saying that he was merely checking up on Syiem’s health and on receiving a positive response from the woman he left the tent in which she was in.
On the allegation that Ravi had been drunk at the time, the commission ruled that there was no evidence as no test had been conducted on the officer. Ravi admitted that he did drink alcohol from time to time but not while on duty. The commission decided that the perception that he had been drinking “was not associated with any negative behaviour such as use of foul language and unnecessary use of physical force, etc.”
