Chairperson Nagaland State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Nagaland State Human Rights Commission (NSHRC), Justice Songkhupchung Serto visited Central Jail and East Police Station in Dimapur on 8 August 2023, DIPR informed. During his visits, the chairperson went around the two facilities and got a first-hand account of the prevalent conditions and the state of the prisoners lodged.
This was the second district visit after Kohima by chairperson after he took charge and will be visiting all the rest of the districts.
Serto stated that SHRC has come to exist for the first time in the State in the month of March and Human Rights Commission is here to protect Human Rights and to ensure that authorities who are responsible in protecting Human Rights do protect Human. He pointed that if the authority fails to take timely action to prevent violation of human rights act, the commission can take up those cases against those authorities.
Serto mentioned that the purpose of the visits was to acquaint themselves in understanding the working conditions and system, to know if enough is being done to prevent violation of human rights and also whether enough preparations are there to protection. He pointed that most people come and complain against the police violation of human rights and therefore the visit is to understand how they are functioning in the State, whether they have infrastructure required to function effectively and whether they have adequate strength and resources and to see how the inmates are treated.
The chairperson further informed that they will also be organizing seminar to spread awareness to the people by combining two to three districts together starting from Kohima and Dimapur by inviting the top leaders of the societies/ communities who in turn will help to spread awareness to people so that the people can get the benefit of the commission.
Based on the report from central jail, the premises for women cell are under construction. While total population of inmates pertaining to central jail, Dimapur as on 08/08/2023 are 250 [Under trials – 179; NSA- 15; Convicts (R.I)- 43; Convicts (S.I)- 12; Foreigner (Nigeria)-1].
During the interaction, the prison officers apprised that prison service has struggled to cope with healthcare burden imposed by sick prisoners, particularly problems related to mental health and substance misuse for which there is need of regular full-time doctors and nurses at Central Jail as well as other facilities. The officers informed the chairperson that vocational training is imparted to inmates by NGOs & under PMKJVY in tailoring, handicrafts, sanitary pad making respectively. It was also mentioned that for the very first time, a stall exhibiting the inmate’s works will be displayed at 77th Independence Day in Dimapur.
As per reports on 08/08/2023 the comparative crime statement of East Police Station are 210- [Theft-84; cheating-08; Extortion -13; Causing dead due to negligence -07; other IPC- 04; Arms Act-15; NDPS Act- 23; NLTP Act- 35; NSR 62- 04; Other special law- 02; Suicide; UD Cases- 11].
Nagaland State Human Rights Commission was established in March 2023 aligned with other State Commissions. It is a statutory body establish under the Act of Human Rights Act, 1993. The commission is empowered with power of civil court governed by Civil Procedure Code (CPC) to take up cases for violations, to prevent and promote human rights commission on a complaint filed by anyone or on its own accord.
The commission is now functional and anyone having any grievances of human rights violation, prevention or protection can come forward to the commission.
