Press Invite: Right to Information application Hashimpura Lucknow

Press Invite

22nd May 2007 marks the death anniversary of the Hashimpura Victims and the 20th year of continuing injustice, impunity of the State and the gross failure of the legal system to punish perpetrators of mass crimes. On 22 nd May 1987, the Provincial Armed Constabulary committed the worst incident of communal custodial killings in independent India. Over 40 Muslim men of Mohalla Hashimpura, Meerut were shot dead and their bodies thrown into the Upper Ganga canal and Hindon canal. After a transfer order of the Supreme Court, it was only last year that a Delhi Court framed charges of murder, conspiracy, attempt to murder etc. against all the19 PAC accused. 3 survivors have since given eyewitness accounts of the PAC custodial killings. For twenty years the families of the victims and the survivors have been battling against all odds to secure justice for mass crimes.

For the first time in India, 615 Right to Information applications will be filed by the victim families, challenging the impunity of the P.A.C. and seeking accountability from the State. They are asking the State to tell them why these PAC accused have not been suspended from service while being prosecuted for custodial murders? What departmental proceedings and disciplinary action, if any, were initiated against them? Why was there a delay of almost a decade in even charge sheeting the PAC accused? Why were most of those indicted by the CB CID Report let off the hook? They are asking for the CBCID Inquiry Report into the PAC killings to be made public.

It is this courage and spirit of the people to unmask the truth that can halt the present regime of fake encounters, custodial deaths and communal killings, which pose a grave threat to Indian democracy and human rights.

24th May, 2007 at 10.30.a.m.

DGP Office, 1 Tilak Marg, Lucknow

Families of victims and survivors of Hashimpura will file 615 RTI applications supported by a delegation of the Citizens of Lucknow

Press Conference

Press Club, Lucknow

4:00 p.m.


Panelists: Survivors and families of victims of Mohalla Hashimpura, Meerut

Roop Rekha Verma (Sanjhi Duniya, Ex. Vice Chancellor Lucknow University)
Saleem Kidwai (Historian & Writer Lucknow)
Sharib Rudavli (Retd. Prof. of Urdu, JNU Delhi)
Sandeep Pandey (RTI Activist)
S.R. Darapuri (Retd. I.G.Police)
Vrinda Grover (Advocate, Hashimpura Case)
Nasiruddin (Journalist &Activist)


Contact-
Madhavi Kuckreja
VANANGANA
9415104361-M
3019228-O