"Innocence Imprisoned: A Saga of Unjust Detention, Torture, and a Wife's Fight for Justice"

The collaborative initiative between IRCT and PVCHR brought a ray of hope and transformation to the survivors of Raup in Sonbhadra. In a gesture filled with compassion and commitment, we extended our support by providing not only goats but also nurturing the dreams of a kitchen garden.

But our efforts didn't stop there. We believed in the power of a fruitful future, so we planted trees of guavas and lemons, envisioning orchards that would not only bear fruit but also symbolize resilience and growth for the survivors.

Please find few testimonies as follows:

 "Injustice and Brutality Faced by a Destitute Couple at the Hands of Law Enforcement"

My name is Chinta, and I am 35 years old. My husband's name is Musafir. We belong to the Jati community and make a living through manual labor. Our home is in Gram-Raup Ghasiya Basti, Sahijan Post, in the Tehsil of Robertsaganj.

On June 8, 2022, a Thursday at 10 AM, my husband was working on building a mud wall at our residence when a car carrying six police officers from the Roberts Ganj police station suddenly arrived. They took my husband, Musafir, and my brother-in-law, Rai Singh, with them to the police station. During that night, they subjected Musafir to brutal beatings, even causing him to bleed.

The relentless physical abuse continued until he falsely confessed to a crime he did not commit. Later that evening, these same six police officers arrived in our village at 10 PM and took four other villagers - Vinod, Doubleu, Shyam, and Nandlal - to the police station, coercing them into admitting to unfounded charges.

The following day, we went to the police station to provide clothes for my husband. He had been arrested while wearing only a loincloth. On the third day, they took him to court at 4 AM and subsequently sent him to the district jail in Gurma. While my younger brother-in-law was eventually released, he informed us that the police had subjected my husband to severe beatings while in custody.

During this time, our lives were filled with fear and uncertainty, as we worried about facing similar mistreatment. Sleep eluded us at night. We are impoverished tribal people, and I am struggling with tuberculosis, requiring medication. Financially, we are in dire straits. We even sold our jewelry to file a case in the high court, yet bail has not been granted.

When I visited my husband in jail, he shared that inmates were coerced into performing sewage cleanup without any protective gear, and refusal resulted in severe beatings. Both my husband's and my health have deteriorated. He expressed that if we are not released soon, he might lose his life. We are living in constant anguish and fear.

We implore authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation and ensure that justice is served to us, the underprivileged. Those responsible for the wrongful actions must be held accountable and face the consequences. We fervently pray that our plea is heard, and justice is delivered.

 "Unjust Incarceration: The Harrowing Story of Jai Prakash"

The testimony highlights the wrongful accusation and imprisonment of Jai Prakash, a man who was falsely implicated in a theft case and subjected to physical and emotional abuse by the police. The narrative sheds light on the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in the criminal justice system, the impact of incarceration on families, and the struggle for survival and dignity.

"The police falsely implicated me in a case and put me in jail. My name is Jai Prakash, and I am 28 years old. My wife's name is Basmati Devi. I have studied up to class 5. I live in Gram-Raup Ghasiya Basti, Sonebhadra district. I belong to the Ghasiya caste. I am willing to work anywhere, doing any kind of labor, without feeling ashamed. I have three daughters and three sons.

The incident occurred on June 6, 2022, when a theft took place at the toll plaza. However, I had been working in Banaras Lanka Gate since May 28. I had come home in the month of July. I had no idea that living away from home for a few days would lead to the police punishing me like this. Otherwise, I would not have returned. On July 3, while I was having breakfast in Basti around 7:30 AM, approximately 17-18 police officers came to Basti and started asking for my name. At that time, I left my food and said, 'I am Jai Prakash, sir.' Before I could say anything else, the police officers began using foul language and said, 'You thieves commit theft and then question me?' As soon as I tried to speak, the police forcibly put me in a vehicle and kept me in the Raveratsganj police station for two days.

Inside the police station, police officers would come at night and beat me with sticks, asking me who committed the theft. I would tell them, 'Sir, I came here to earn a living. I had no idea where the theft happened. Can't someone from outside come and meet their family?' Hearing this, the Sub-Inspector got furious and hit me from behind. I shouted, 'What are you doing? Let me go. I have small children at home. Who will take care of them? How will my family survive?' Hearing this, the officer told me to remember how the theft happened or tell them who in my Basti was involved in the theft. I replied, 'Sir, how can I tell you? Everyone in my Basti is struggling to make ends meet. I haven't seen anyone involved in any theft.' They continued to torture me in the police station for three days in connection with the theft case. On the third day, they sent me to Gorma Jail.

As I was going to jail, I saw my family crying and shouting when they saw me. I felt a deep sense of regret seeing my family like that. I couldn't sleep for many days inside the jail. Every night, I would think about my family's condition. I would have to clean the toilets inside the jail in the morning because I didn't have enough money to stay comfortably in the jail. After cleaning, I was given the additional job of planting rice. I would get exhausted from working inside the jail. I would constantly think about how I could get out of this situation.

Inside the jail, I would receive basic meals like rice and water. I would somehow fill my stomach, but I worried about what my children were eating. These thoughts troubled me constantly. My wife had to pledge the ration card and take money to get me out of jail. I have just returned from jail, and I have a case pending against me. I have to appear in court continuously for 12 days. I somehow manage my expenses by selling brooms and taking care of my family.

Now, I want the police not to trouble me in any way because I have not committed any theft."

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 "Police Officers Forcing My Husband to Confess through Torture"

My name is Kabootari Devi, and I am 25 years old. My husband's name is Dharmu. We struggle to make ends meet through manual labor to support our family. Our home is in Gram-Raup Ghasiya Basti, within the jurisdiction of Kotwali Roberts Ganj Churki Police Post, in the Tehsil of Roberts Ganj.

It was June 13, 2022, when the police arrived at our locality. They apprehended my husband, and I began to sob, questioning what wrong he had done to be taken away. However, the police paid no heed to my pleas. At the police station, they brandished a stick, attempting to coerce him into admitting to a theft he had not committed. When my husband refused to confess, they forcibly pressed a chair against his legs and continued their relentless pressure.

Even then, my husband did not yield, so they resorted to an even more brutal method. They hung him upside down and poured scalding water on his back while beating him mercilessly. They warned him that unless he admitted to their demands, they would continue to subject him to this agony. As a result of this treatment by the police, my husband was left physically incapacitated.

When I learned of all this, I was deeply distressed. I could only imagine the suffering my husband endured. His eyes welled up with tears as he recounted the ordeal. After such severe torture, the police eventually sent him to jail. Those officers coerced my husband into admitting to their fabricated charges through violence and intimidation.

My heart was heavy with worry as I wondered about my husband's well-being. I couldn't sleep at night, thinking about what had happened to him and what might happen next. We were forced to arrange money somehow, and I went to the lawyer the next day, explaining our situation. The lawyer told me that we would need to provide a certain amount to secure my husband's release. We were struggling financially, but we managed to arrange the required funds. I handed over 20,000 rupees to the lawyer and implored him to free my husband, promising that we would repay any remaining amount.

The lawyer, upon hearing my plea, began working on the bail paperwork and instructed me to return home, assuring me that he would prepare the necessary documents starting the following day. Exhausted and anxious, I returned home, while my husband's condition weighed heavily on my mind.

Throughout the night, sleep eluded me as I anxiously thought about my husband. I wondered how he was doing and what he had endured. When the day came for my husband's release, I was torn between relief and fear. On one hand, there was joy that he would be free, but on the other hand, the memory of the brutal treatment he had suffered haunted me.

I wish that the same treatment that my husband endured is not inflicted upon anyone else.

       "Wrongful Imprisonment: A Mother's Plea for Justice for Her Son"

"My son was falsely implicated in a fabricated case and sent to jail. My name is Muniya, and I am 38 years old. My husband's name is Ram Kumar. I belong to the Ghasiya caste (tribal). I have one daughter and two sons. My younger son is Chandrashekhar, and my elder son is Muttu, also known as Mutua. I earn a living through labor to support my children.

I live in Gram Ghasiya Basti, Post-Sahijankala, Sonebhadra district, which is my ancestral home. The incident took place on June 28, 2022, on a Tuesday, around 3:00 PM. My son, Mutua, who is 26 years old, had gone to catch fish. While he was fishing, four police officers in plain clothes arrived and said they also wanted fish. So, my son told them to wait for an hour, and he would give them fish after catching it. Four more people arrived in the meantime.

In our son's fishing hut, they grabbed the fish from both sides, and in the process, the police also caught fish. My son started crying when this happened. The police forcibly took my son to their vehicle and brought him to the police station. From there, they took him to Kotwali Raipur police station. At the police station, they beat my son severely and tried to force him to admit to committing theft. They kept torturing my son in the police station for two days.

On the third day, they sent my son to Gorma Jail. A few days later, I went to meet my son in jail, and he began telling me how they make inmates work hard and even beat them if they don't work. We were worried about the punishment my son was facing.

My son told me that they should get him out of jail quickly, or his life would be in danger. This thought haunts both me and my wife. We couldn't sleep at night, thinking about all this. We are poor tribals, and we make a living by driving a vehicle to support our children and family.

Since that day, my daughter-in-law's health has deteriorated. She also has to buy medicines for her children. The moment my husband was driving the vehicle, thinking about our son, he suddenly turned the vehicle, causing an accident that fractured his right hand. We feel that God has abandoned us, and we are struggling for our survival.

I had to pledge my jewelry to arrange money and get my son out of jail. My son has just returned from jail, and he has a case pending against him. We have filed for bail in the High Court.

We want the police officers who have falsely implicated our son in a case to face legal action, and justice should be served. We, the poor, deserve justice."

"Legal Struggles and Hardship Faced by a Woman to Secure Her Husband's Release."

My name is Pratapi, and I am 35 years old. My husband's name is Nandalal, and we live in Raup, Ghasiya Basti, Robertsganj, Sonbhadra. My husband works as a laborer on contract in Chennai. He had come home and was about to return to Chennai for work when he went to meet his contractor in Almora, Robertsganj, where the contractor withdrew 3000/- from the ATM and my husband collected the money there. I was with him, and before my husband was about to leave for Chennai, we were talking to each other. My husband had also been drinking alcohol.

At that moment, Sub-Inspector Ravindra Yadav, stationed in the area, ran towards my husband, who was about to board a bus to Chennai. The sub-inspector began beating my husband with a baton. My husband started screaming, and I went to the sub-inspector to intervene. The sub-inspector verbally abused me and chased me away, threatening to call the police to beat me as well. After that, the sub-inspector took my husband to the Robertsganj police station.

I reached the police station in the morning, and I saw that my husband had been severely beaten by the police officers. He was crying, but the police officers paid no attention. I had no money at the time. To get my husband released, I had to sell our livestock, including pigs and goats, and give the money to a lawyer. The lawyer said it would cost around 90,000 rupees to get my husband out of jail.

I had to sell my land, my hut, and even beg for money to pursue my husband's release through legal means. Whenever the lawyer called me to the court, I would leave all my work behind and attend the hearings. At that time, I was eight months pregnant, and it was extremely difficult for me to even walk. The police officers had falsely charged my husband with robbery.

Whenever I remember that incident, I get scared. I was carrying an 8-month-old fetus in my womb, and I had to beg for food and shelter for my five small children while trying to secure my husband's release in just six months.

"A Woman's Struggle to Secure Her Husband's Release and Survive Through Begging."

My name is Pooswa, and I am 20 years old. My husband's name is Atal, and we live in Raup, Ghasiya Basti, Robertsganj, Sonbhadra.

My husband was falsely accused of robbery and dacoity by the police and was imprisoned. I went to a lawyer to get my husband released, but the lawyer demanded 10,000 rupees to start the paperwork. At that time, I had no money. So, I pledged my father-in-law's ration card for 8,000 rupees in the village and gave the money to the lawyer to begin the process of securing my husband's release. This ration card was our only source of food support, and it was now gone.

After that, I started begging for food with my two young children. I first began by seeking help from people in my village who knew me. They would say, "Come to our house, sweep the floor, and I will give you food and clothing, but no money." Whether I received alms or not, I would leave after hearing these words. However, my determination to free my husband from jail made me realize that if I focused on feeding and clothing myself and my children, I wouldn't be able to secure his release. So, I left my village and started begging in the nearby Mirzapur district.

I would spend the entire day going from shop to shop with my children, asking for alms. When I couldn't find food, I would approach people on the streets, pleading for help. In the meantime, whenever I managed to gather some money, I would give it to my lawyer to continue the legal process.

One day, after begging for alms in Mirzapur, I returned to Robertsganj and slept on the side of the road after making a makeshift hut with my children. Around 11:00 PM, a truck driver approached me, grabbed my hand, and tried to assault me. I screamed loudly, and several other truck drivers came to my rescue, saving me from the potential harm. They told me to leave immediately because it was not safe for me to stay there.

After this incident, I continued begging in Robertsganj, both in the village and near the railway station, where other women beggars stayed. I visited my husband in jail every 15 days. When I saw him, he would cry and ask me to get him out of jail, promising that he would take care of everything once he was released.

I managed to gather the bail money over time, and after six months, I successfully secured my husband's release from jail. The day my husband was granted bail and released from jail, I cried tears of joy, thinking that my burden would be lighter now. I believed that my husband would take care of our children and me wherever he stayed. Everything I endured, I did it to secure my husband's freedom.

Even today, when I remember those times, I feel scared. I think about how I begged for food and shelter with my small children and how determined I was to free my innocent husband from jail. Today, my husband drives a rickshaw, and we live together as a family.

 "Unjust Arrest and Detention of a Man, Resulting in Emotional Distress for His Wife."

"My name is Reeta, and I am 23 years old. My husband's name is Vinod, and we have two sons. I am originally from Gurma village, Post-Kota, Thana-Chouki Dala, District-Sonbhadra.

It was June 10, 2022, and it was a Friday evening at 6 PM. I was returning home from my in-laws' place with my husband. At Churk Tiraha, there was a police vehicle parked. We were waiting for our bus when the police approached us. Without asking any questions, they started grabbing my husband's hand to take him away. I asked, 'Sir, where are you taking him?' I started following my husband. The police told us not to worry; they would question us and then let us go. They took us in their vehicle to the police station.

At that moment, I felt very anxious. Numerous questions were racing through my mind. I started crying and calling my mother-in-law. They were taken aback by my crying. The next day, we went to the police station with my in-laws, but they didn't let us meet my husband. They told us to go to the court; we would meet him there. So, we went to the Robertsganj court. There, we finally got to see my husband. He was crying. Seeing his condition, I felt helpless. My husband said he hadn't committed any theft, but despite that, the police had beaten him severely. They were forcefully trying to make him confess to a crime he didn't commit.

After that, they took my husband in front of the judge and sent him to the district jail in a police vehicle. My husband became very weak before my eyes. I felt so helpless; I couldn't do anything. Our world was falling apart. We have never had any criminal cases against us. My in-laws own some land and were trying to bail out my husband.

On the date we go to the court, my husband cries and says, 'Save me, or else I will die.' Hearing these words always pains me. We have never faced any legal issues before. My in-laws are trying their best to bail my husband out.

The police treated us very unfairly. They put false charges on my innocent husband and even used a gas cylinder on him. We are poor laborers trying to make ends meet. Ever since this incident, we have been shattered. We cannot sleep at night due to the constant worry. My husband's words haunt me.

I want the police to conduct a fair investigation and clear my husband's name of these false charges."

 "Get me out of jail quickly, or I'll die.

My name is Santoshi, and I am 35 years old. My husband's name is Shivkumar. I belong to the Ghasiya community. I have three daughters and one son named Daroga. I work to provide for my children, perform light work at weddings, and sometimes help with household chores like sweeping. I reside in Gram Ghasiya Basti, Post-Sahijan, Thana-Robertsganj, District-Sonbhadra.

On November 24, 2021, my husband had gone to work as a laborer for rice harvesting ten days before the incident. After finishing the harvesting, he and some others went to the Surkut market to buy some items and have a meal. As soon as they started eating, the police from the Kotwali Thana in a jeep came and arrested my husband. They took him to the Kotwali police station.

I received news about my husband being picked up by the police, and I immediately rushed to the Robertsganj police station to find out why my husband was arrested. At that time, the Station House Officer (SHO) angrily said that my husband was not here; they had taken him to the Chopan police station. The way the SHO spoke made me panic. I went crying to the Chopan police station to inquire about my husband's whereabouts. There, the Sub-Inspector told me that they had taken my husband to jail after conducting a raid in the forest. Hearing this, I was shaken to my core. I cried and pleaded with them.

I rushed back to the Robertsganj court, where my husband was already sent to jail. I returned home crying. I was filled with anxiety and didn't know what to do. How would I manage everything? Various strange questions were running through my mind, and I couldn't sleep at night. I wondered how I would run the household expenses.

When we reached home, my children started looking for their father, asking where he was. I tried to console them and put them to sleep. I couldn't sleep; the worry was eating me alive. I couldn't understand how this had happened. My husband had gone to work, and suddenly the police arrested him. These thoughts consumed me for several days.

After some days, we managed to gather some money and went to meet my husband in jail. As soon as my husband saw me, he started crying and said, 'Get me out of here quickly, or I'll die.' Hearing these words from my husband was heartbreaking. I tried to reassure him, telling him not to worry and that I would get him out soon.

I want that the way my husband was sent to jail, the legal process for him should also be followed correctly."

Please note that this translation is a general interpretation of the provided testimony and may not capture the exact nuances of the original language.