Minister meets jailed farmers

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday visited the Dasna prison at Ghaziabad to meet jailed farmers from Bhatta-Parsaul villages who were picked up by the police after recent clashes at the two villages.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday visited the Dasna prison at Ghaziabad to meet jailed farmers from Bhatta-Parsaul villages who were picked up by the police after recent clashes at the two villages.

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Pilot and his two local leaders went to meet the jailed villagers and said that there were around 22 prisons presently lodged at Dasna under stringent IPC sections, including murder and attempt-to-murder.

“The prisoners were injured and a few had fractured limbs. They told us that they were picked up on the night of the incident and bundled into prison for no fault of theirs. They also said their houses, farmlands and belongings were burnt during the clashes,” Pilot told reporters.

Congress leader said the jailed villagers had little contact with their families and were ignorant of the charges they were booked under. “The jail officials also refused to divulge any details,” he said.

Pilot said the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission and those of National Commission for Woman (NCW), into the alleged rape and murders, should be implemented.

“We have no faith in the forensic reports prepared by the UP government. None of their officials can go against their government and their forensic-reports claims cannot be trusted upon,” he added.

He was reacting to the forensic tests of the ashes from Bhatta-Parsaul, which were sent to Agra forensic lab and allegedly believed to have contained human bones and skeletons.

The UP government had already denied such allegations after the clashes.