Human rights violation of Tihar prisoners under Delhi HC scanner
What's the story
Tihar jail is under scanner again, this time for grossly violating the fundamental, human and legal rights of its prisoners.
Eighteen inmates were brutally beaten up on November 21 by security men for objecting to their pillow covers being taken away.
The Delhi high court, which ordered an inquiry, on Monday called the incident a "one-sided act of violence".
Read on to know more.
Inquiry
Horrifying act of unilateral aggression against unarmed prisoners, concludes panel
The three-member Delhi-HC appointed panel, after assessing the incident's CCTV footage, concluded that the prisoners were subjected to extreme physical torture without any justifiable reason, reported The Indian Express.
The panel said the violence was unprovoked and that Tamil Nadu State Police (TSP) personnel and the jail's quick response team (QRT) thrashed the inmates mercilessly with sticks, batons, buckets and everything else they got.
Injuries
Inmates suffered fractures, deep bruises, bleeding and contusions
The physical abuse was so severe that three inmates were left with fractured hands and all the 18 had deep bruises, swelling, bleeding, and contusions on their backs and limbs.
The panel was constituted after Syed Yusuf, a Tihar inmate, filed a petition detailing the alleged cruelty at the hands of jail officials. As proof, his "blood-soaked vest" was reportedly presented before the court.
Action
HC raps government on poor living conditions, ill-treatment of prisoners
Calling the incident "extremely disturbing" and "very serious", the bench has directed that the injured prisoners be presented at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for further examination and treatment.
Asking the probing committee to preserve the CCTV footage, the HC rapped Delhi government on the poor living conditions and ill-treatment of prisoners.
It will further hear the matter on December 19.