NHRC notice to Assam Chief Secy, DGP on stripping of adivasi women

New Delhi, Dec 12 (UNI) The National Human Rights Commission has sent notices to the Chief Secretary and the DGP, Assam on two incidents where adivasi women were allegedly stripped by rioters in Guwahati.

Taking suo-motu cognizance of a report which appeared in the English daily, Telegraph on November 27, 2007, the Commission said the incident showed the failure of the Government in protecting the dignity of women which resulted in violation of their human rights.

According to the news report, a young adivasi woman ran down a Guwahati street naked, stripped by ethnic rioters, while leering city youth clicked her with their cell phone cameras. The report also said in another incident three people pounced on another adivasi woman and stripped stripping her. The report said all her pleas fell on deaf ears till they stripped her naked and then only they let her go.

The news report said the victims were participating in the Adivasi procession in demand of Scheduled Tribes status to them.

The report further said the police refused to intervene when angry local mobs dragged adivasi men, women and children and mercilessly beat them up.

The Commission has given two weeks time to the authorities for a report.

UNI