Manipur Jail staff suspended for handcuffing teachers

The Manipur government on Thursday suspended three staffs of Imphal's Sajiwa Central Jail, including the head warden, for allegedly being involved in cuffing a Manipur University (MU) teacher while producing him for a medical check-up.

The suspension of the jail staffs comes two days after the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) lodged a suo motto case against the jail authorities and Manipur police terming the incident a serious violation of human rights of the undertrial prisoners.

An order issued by the P Doungel, ADGP Jail, said the three jail staffs have been placed under suspension with immediate effect for disciplinary proceedings are contemplated against them.

The ADGP also barred the suspended staffs from leaving their headquarters without prior information to the superintendent of the jail.

Prof. S Dorendrajit, Department of Physics, was one of the six teachers lodged in the Sajiwa Central Jail after being arrested during a raid in MU campus on September 20 midnight. On September 11, he was brought to JNIMS hospital for a medical examination with his hands cuffed by the jail staff.

The incident invited criticism against the Manipur Government. Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured stringent action against those involved.

The arrested students and teachers of the varsity, including Prof. S. Dorendrajit, were later released on Tuesday after signing a MoU between the agitators and Manipur Government.

Soon after his release, Dorendrajit termed the episode distasteful and de-humanising. "I find the treatment given to me by the jail authority not dignified for a teacher," he added.