Considering the seriousness of the allegations, the Commission also decided to immediately send a joint team of its legal affairs and investigation officers to investigate on the spot and submit a report within a week.

Hyderabad: In something of a major victory for the BRS, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of the complaint filed by residents of Lagacherla village in Vikarabad district, alleging police harassment, physical violence and false criminal charges. The farmers had filed a complaint with the Commission in Delhi with the help of BRS last Monday.

According to a press release issued by the NHRC, the alleged actions occurred after villagers protested the state’s acquisition of land for a proposed pharmaceutical village, without following proper procedures. Most of the victims of the alleged atrocities claim to be from Scheduled CastesScheduled Tribes and Other backward communities. The complaint was filed by at least 12 victims who visited the Commission praying for it to intervene to save them from starvation in the matter, the statement said.

The statement said that as per the complaint, on November 11, the district collector along with other officials arrived at the Lagacherla village to announce the compulsory acquisition of land for the proposed Pharma project. The same evening, hundreds of police officers, apparently accompanied by some local thugs, attacked the village and assaulted the protesting villagers. They didn’t even spare pregnant women.

“Internet services and electricity supplies were also reportedly cut off to ensure that no communication could be made with anyone seeking help. The police reportedly registered FIRs on false complaints against the villagers, especially against women, forcing some of the victims to leave their homes out of fear and take refuge in forests and farmlands without food, without medical help, without amenities. basis, etc.

“The Commission observed that the content of the complaint, if proven, raises a serious issue of violation of human rights, which indeed constitutes a matter of concern. Accordingly, he issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Telangana, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The report is expected to include the status of FIRs, people in judicial custody and villagers who, out of fear, are said to be hiding in forest areas without basic amenities. The Commission would also like to know whether a medical examination of the female victims was carried out and whether medical treatment was provided to the injured villagers,” the statement said.

Considering the seriousness of the allegations, the Commission also decided to immediately send a joint team of its legal affairs and investigation officers to investigate on the spot and submit a report within a week.

The Commission also noted that the lands which were now forcibly acquired without notice were fertile agricultural lands owned and acquired for generations by people belonging to the SC/ ST and OBC and farmers have been protesting against this for over four to five months.