Police torture victims still wait for compensation

June 8, 2012
Mangalore, June 8: Engineering student Joel Vaz said on Thursday that he and his father are still waiting for the compensation ordered by the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) from two policemen found guilty of treating them in an inhuman manner.

The Mangalore Police Commissionerate is yet to realise the compensation amount from the two policemen and take disciplinary action as directed by the Commission. The case is related to the incident involving engineering student Joel Vaz, his father Justine Vaz and Gangadhara Shetty. The then police sub-inspector of Mangalore Rural Police station K. Prakash and constable David D'Souza were accused of making the three stand naked in the police station and then making one of them remove the pubic hair of the other in June 2010.

The KSHRC took sou motu notice of the incident and had directed the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ramesh to submit a report. Mr. Ramesh found the allegations to be true. In his report, Mr. Ramesh termed the act of the two policemen as “unfortunate, inhuman, and undesirable”.

Accepting his report, the SHRC on August 6, 2011 directed the two policemen to pay compensation of Rs. 25,000 to each of the three victims. The Commission directed the Police Commissioner to recover the compensation amount in three months and also take disciplinary action against the two policemen.

Mr. Joel Vaz told presspersons on Thursday that they had not yet received compensation amount announced by the SHRC.

The Mangalore Police Commissioner was yet to initiate any disciplinary action as recommended by the SHRC. “I have submitted a representation in this regard to the Police Commissioner few days ago. I have not received any reply so far,” Mr. Joel said. Just a few days ago, he received intimation from the High Court about appeal filed by Mr. Prakash against the SHRC order, he added.

Mr. Joel and two others said in the statement that the disciplinary inquiry, which started in 2010, had not concluded yet. They accused Police Commissioner of instituting the inquiry in order to favour Mr. Prakash.

P.B. D'Sa from Peoples Union for Civic Liberties, who spoke on behalf of the three victims, said directions of SHRC holds good as the High Court had not stayed the SHRC order.

Reaction

Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said following the SHRC order he did issue orders for recovery of the compensation. The process stopped following objection raised by Mr. Prakash.

“As the officer no longer works under me, the file has been moved to the unit officer under whom Prakash is now working,” he said.

Mr. Singh said the inquiry was still going on. When pointed out to the long time taken for concluding the inquiry, Mr. Singh said “there cannot be a long or short inquiry”.

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News Network
May 4,2020

Bengaluru, May 4: First year Pre-University results of Karnataka Department of Pre-University Education will be released soon.

According to a report, the first year PU result will be released on the registered mobile numbers of students or parents on May 5. The report also asked the colleges which offers PU course that the PU results should not be released on the notice boards.

This measure has been taken keeping in view to avoid gatherings in and around the institutions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Deccan Herald report also said the students who are not able to clear the exams after the PU results are declared will be given a chance to appear for supplementary examinations in college level and further details on this will be shared with the institutes by the department in due course.

"After the declaration of results, colleges can conduct online classes for students who are eligible to attend second year PU classes," the report added.

The state is yet to complete the SSLC (class 10) and PU second year (higher secondary or class 12) examinations as the spread of coronavirus and subsequent lockdown announced by the government has put the whole academic activities out of gear in the state.

Recently, the education minister has said the SSLC examinations in the state will be conducted as it is a "crucial stage in a student's life".

"We will consider it (SSLC examinations) when the situation becomes normal," The New Indian Express quoted the minister as saying.

The Karnataka SSLC exam was scheduled to be held between March 27 and April 9, and over eight lakh students had registered for the exam.

Updates on the date and other decisions regarding PU second year exams are awaited.

Earlier, the school education department had decided to promote class 7 and 8 students without any exams in the wake of lockdown aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.

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News Network
July 2,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 2: Karnataka government has issued a show-cause notice to 18 private hospitals for refusing to admit a 52-year-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms, who later died.

According to the notice dated on June 30, a 52-years patient named Bhawarlal Sujani died after he was denied admission by 18 private hospitals.

The patient was taken to these hospitals on Saturday and Sunday for admission on observing some ILI like symptoms. But none of these hospitals admitted in on the pretext of unavailability of bed/ventilators, read the notice.

This is a clear violation of providing medical assistance and admission necessitated under the agreed provision of KPME Registration. They should strictly adhere to the provisions under Sections 11 & 11 A of KPME Act 2017. Private Medical Establishments cannot deny/ refuse/ avoid treatment to patients with Covid-19 and Covid-19 like symptoms, the state Health Department said.

By denying the admission to the deceased patient, your hospitals have violated the provisions of the above-said act. You are liable for legal action in this regard, as per the notice.

The state Health department asked the hospitals to reply as to why action should not be initiated under the relevant Acts. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 20,2020

Lucknow, Jul 20: Dr Azizuddin Sheikh, who was fighting COVID-19 as a front line worker, passed away after contracting coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by a wife and three small children. 

40-year-old Dr Azizuddin, who hailed from Rajasthan, was serving as a paediatrician at Avanti Bai Hospital and Duffein Hospital, Lucknow for past few years. He had also worked in the Middle Eastern countries. 

When a large number of doctors preferred to stay home following the covid-19 outbreak, Dr Azizudin was working 16 to 17 hours battling the pandemic. 

According to sources, he tested positive for the covid-19 last month. “After the reports came positive, he had to call the concerned authorities many times to take him to the hospital,” recalled his family members.

He was first admitted to Lok Bandhu Hospital and was later shifted to KGMU after his condition deteriorated. Later he was taken to SGPGIMS.
 
“Despite following all the guidelines and taking every precaution while treating coronavirus patients, he tested positive for the covid-19. It’s a shock for all of us,” he said.

He used to console his family members and instill confidence among them, said one of his relatives. 

A local newspaper quoted his friends as saying that he was very dedicated in serving people that he used to take minimal possible fees from his patients. When the family asked him to increase consultation fees his reply would be, “They are poor people, how will they afford”?

After his death, one of his patients Alok Singh wrote about an incident. “When I asked doctor Sahib why he charges so less, his answer was I have to answer Allah. The truth that he has left us will always be the reason for our grief.”

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