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In India Gang Rape Case, Spotlight Turns to Jails In India Gang Rape Case, Spotlight Turns to Jail
(about 1 hour later)
NEW DELHI — The ramifications of the Delhi gang rape case, in which a 23-year-old student who was gang-raped in a bus later died, seem not to cease. NEW DELHI — The ramifications of the Delhi gang rape case, in which a 23-year-old student was attacked in a bus later died, seem not to cease.
The death of Ram Singh, one of the six defendants in the case who was found hanged in his cell, has raised speculation about its cause and questions about the management of Tihar Jail, one of the most well-known in India. The death of Ram Singh, one of the six defendants who was found hanged in his cell, has raised speculation about its cause and questions about the management of Tihar Jail, one of the most well-known in India.
The judge in the case has now asked for daily briefings on security arrangements for the prisoners. While the postmortem report suggested suicide, Mr. Singh’s parents contend that the police murdered him, in part because both his arms were damaged from previous accidents. The trial judge has asked for daily briefings on security arrangements for the defendants. The postmortem report suggested suicide, but Mr. Singh’s parents contend that the police murdered him, in part because both his arms were damaged from previous accidents.
What really happened on the morning of March 11 may never be known, but it has put life inside Tihar under scrutiny.What really happened on the morning of March 11 may never be known, but it has put life inside Tihar under scrutiny.
The Dec. 16 gang rape, which led to nationwide protests and caused international furor, was regarded as so barbaric that many Indians demanded the death penalty for Mr. Singh and the five others accused of the crime. Shortly after Mr. Singh entered Tihar Jail, some news outlets reported he was beaten by other inmates. The gang rape, which happened on Dec. 16 and led to nationwide protests, was regarded as so barbaric that many Indians demanded the death penalty for Mr. Singh and the five others accused of the crime. Shortly after Mr. Singh entered Tihar Jail, some news outlets reported that he had been beaten by other inmates.
Niranjan Kumar Mandal was charged in the gang rape of a 23-year-old pregnant woman in a moving car in New Delhi in July 2005. The case, known as the Mayapuri gang rape, sent shock waves through the capital because the pregnant young woman also had speech and hearing impairments. Niranjan Kumar Mandal was charged in the gang rape of a 23-year-old pregnant woman in a moving car in New Delhi in July 2005. The case, known as the Mayapuri gang rape, sent shock waves through the capital because the woman also had speech and hearing impairments. The police, under intense public pressure, arrested the wrong man. After spending four years in Tihar Jail, Mr. Mandal was acquitted in March 2010 by the trial court for lack of evidence. In 2011, he sued the Delhi government for 45 million rupees, or $800,000, for falsely implicating him. The case for compensation is still pending in the Delhi High Court.
The police, under intense public pressure, caught the wrong man. After spending four years in Tihar Jail, Mr. Mandal was acquitted in March 2010 by the trial court for lack of evidence. In 2011, he sued the Delhi government for 45 million rupees, or $800,000, for falsely implicating him. The case for compensation is still pending in the Delhi High Court. Wills Mathews, Mr. Mandal’s lawyer, noted that his client also issued a legal notice in 2011 to the police seeking reparations for the “mental and physical torture” he had undergone.
Wills Mathews, Mr. Mandal’s lawyer, noted that his client also issued a legal notice in 2011 to the police seeking reparations for the “mental and physical torture” he had undergone. “There was no response from the government, and so we went to court,” he said. “Even now, the police argue that it was my client’s imagination.” “There was no response from the government, and so we went to court,” he said. “Even now, the police argue that it was my client’s imagination.”
A government lawyer, Anjum Javed, said that the trial court had acquitted Mr. Mandal by giving him the “benefit of doubt,” but he had been arrested on the basis of evidence. “This means that he was not falsely implicated,” said Mr. Javed. “Whatever the police did was in discharge of its duty. It was nothing personal against him.” A government lawyer, Anjum Javed, said that the trial court had acquitted Mr. Mandal by giving him the “benefit of doubt” but that he had been arrested on the basis of evidence. “This means that he was not falsely implicated,” Mr. Javed said. “Whatever the police did was in discharge of its duty. It was nothing personal against him.”
Efforts to reach the police on Tuesday for comment were unsuccessful.
In an interview, Mr. Mandal spoke about his arrest, his time in Tihar Jail, the behavior of fellow inmates and the suffering of his family. He also shared his thoughts on Mr. Singh’s death.In an interview, Mr. Mandal spoke about his arrest, his time in Tihar Jail, the behavior of fellow inmates and the suffering of his family. He also shared his thoughts on Mr. Singh’s death.
“I was a family man who was doing well, and they suddenly came and took me away on the evening of Jan. 17, 2006,” Mr. Mandal recalled. “At the Hari Nagar police station, they took off all my clothes except my underpants and beat me. They made me sign on many blank sheets of paper. “I was a family man who was doing well, and they suddenly came and took me away on the evening of Jan. 17, 2006,” Mr. Mandal recalled. “At the Hari Nagar police station, they took off all my clothes except my underpants and beat me. They made me sign on many blank sheets of paper. I was kept standing in the cold for the whole night. Only when I started shivering by morning did they give me some hot tea. They didn’t let me call anyone.”
“I was kept standing in the cold for the whole night. Only when I started shivering by morning did they give me some hot tea,” he said. “They didn’t let me call anyone.” This went on for three days, he said. Mr. Mandal asserted that he was stripped, pinned against a wall, and then a female officer “stood on my thighs.”
This treatment, he said, went on for three days. He asserted that he was stripped, pinned against a wall, and then a female police officer “stood on my thighs. The lower part of my body was numb, and I fainted. They must have done this 13, 14 times in three days.” “The lower part of my body was numb, and I fainted,” he said. “They must have done this 13, 14 times in three days.”
He was taken to court and then to Tihar Jail, where, he said, inmates were mostly sympathetic but some of the jail personnel taunted him. However, he said, “the police never beat me in Tihar.”He was taken to court and then to Tihar Jail, where, he said, inmates were mostly sympathetic but some of the jail personnel taunted him. However, he said, “the police never beat me in Tihar.”
“Inside Tihar, milk becomes milk and water becomes water, because everyone reveals their own crimes after a few days,” he said. “Then after a while, one understands who is a criminal and who has been framed. Most people inside have not committed crimes. And most people who have committed one tell you how they did it.”“Inside Tihar, milk becomes milk and water becomes water, because everyone reveals their own crimes after a few days,” he said. “Then after a while, one understands who is a criminal and who has been framed. Most people inside have not committed crimes. And most people who have committed one tell you how they did it.”
Those prisoners known or believed by other inmates to have committed rape “are severely beaten up” and forced by other prisoners to do unpleasant duties like cleaning toilets. Those prisoners known or believed by other inmates to have committed rape, he said, “are severely beaten up” and forced by other prisoners to do unpleasant duties like cleaning toilets.
“Ram Singh is someone who would have been beaten up and harassed by the inmates,” Mr. Mandal said. “Even the police could not have stopped them. He probably saw that everyone would always think badly of him for his whole life because of what he had done. That feeling can make one stop wanting to live.” “Ram Singh is someone who would have been beaten up and harassed by the inmates,” he said. “Even the police could not have stopped them. He probably saw that everyone would always think badly of him for his whole life because of what he had done. That feeling can make one stop wanting to live.”
Mr. Mandal, who has been out of jail for three years, said he still encounters people who “don’t believe I am innocent. If you’ve been in jail, they presume you’re guilty. People ask me, ‘Why were you in jail for so long?’ The media will give big headlines when someone is arrested, but nobody reports an acquittal.” Mr. Mandal, who has been out of jail for three years, said he still encountered people who “don’t believe I am innocent.”
His son, he said, was taunted at school. His studies suffered, Mr. Mandal said, and “he had to leave school after the eighth grade. Relatives and neighbors can’t forget it. We are not invited anywhere. My son just wanted the neighbors to verify his identity so that he could get a passport. But they refused. “If you’ve been in jail, they presume you’re guilty,” he added. “People ask me, ‘Why were you in jail for so long?’ The media will give big headlines when someone is arrested, but nobody reports an acquittal.”
“It’s a scar that my family may have to live with forever.” His son, he said, was taunted at school. His studies suffered, Mr. Mandal said, and “he had to leave school after the eighth grade.”
“Relatives and neighbors can’t forget it,” he said. “We are not invited anywhere. My son just wanted the neighbors to verify his identity so that he could get a passport. But they refused. It’s a scar that my family may have to live with forever.”
(This interview, which appeared on the India Ink blog, has been lightly edited and condensed).(This interview, which appeared on the India Ink blog, has been lightly edited and condensed).