Nido case: Govt orders CBI probe
NEW DELHI: Nearly a fortnight after Arunachal student Nido Taniam died due to injuries sustained in an altercation with some shopkeepers in Lajpat Nagar, the Union Home Ministry has decided to hand over the case to the CBI.
The decision came after Tania’s parents met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde here on Tuesday, seeking an impartial probe by a Central agency and speedy justice for their deceased son.
“Nido’s family came and met me and requested a CBI inquiry into the case. We have agreed to hand over the case to the CBI,” Shinde told newspersons after the meeting.
Nido’s parents had also met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day, seeking his intervention to ensure a speedy investigation and also to end the alleged discrimination of people of north-eastern origin settled in other parts of the country.
The death of Nido – confirmed by his post-mortem report, that had cited nine injuries on his body caused by blunt trauma -created an outrage among the north-eastern community here, which took to the streets to protest against the “ill-treatment” meted out to the Arunachal student. The protestors are now demanding an anti-racial discrimination law to protect north-eastern people living and working outside the region.
North-East MPs have also taken up Nido’s case with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi as well as Shinde over the past few days, demanding fast-tracking of the probe into his death and convening of an all-party meeting to consider grievances of the north-eastern people and examine the need for an anti-racism law. Delhi HC asks government about northeast people’s security
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday expressed concern over security problems faced by people from the Northeast living in the national capital, and asked the Arvind Kejriwal government to respond to the issue.
A division bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked the city government to apprise the court on the policies and action plan to deal with the issue.
The court took suo motu cognizance of an incident where Nido Taniam was allegedly beaten up by shopkeepers Jan 29 in south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar market following a row over his appearance and clothing. He died in a hospital the next day.
“Day after day, there are attacks on a particular section of the society. Have you looked into whether it is a deep-rooted conspiracy? What is the Delhi government’s stand on this issue? Almost 15 days have passed. Have you taken any step,” the court asked the Delhi government.
“This is the responsibility of the state government to look into the issue. You (Delhi government) should come out with some action plan,” the bench said.
The bench further asked the government to inform it on setting up new forensic labs, including reports about land, construction and infrastructure.
The court also asked the government to consider setting up special hostels for working women from the northeast as they were facing problems with landlords.
“Are you considering special hostels for working women as they are facing problems with landlords? What is the policy on this issue,” the bench asked government counsel Zubeda Begum. Appearing for Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General Sidharth Luthra told the court that it has set up a Special Police Unit to deal with the problems faced by people from the northeast in the capital.
Luthra also informed the court that police will set up a helpline service for the people within six weeks.
Upmanyu Hazarika, appearing for a group of people from the northeast, said that when people from the region call at the emergency number 100, the workers at the helpline do not understand the languages of the people from the northeast.
He told the court that several incidents of violence have been taking place against people from the northeast in the city, and recalled a recent incident where two Manipuri men were attacked by a group of people.
However, Luthra said police will increase patrol in areas where northeast people were living and ensured that “things will become more sensitised”.
Meanwhile, the bench also asked the central government to consider if it was possible to “prohibit” people involved in racial attacks from getting government jobs. (With inputs from agencies)