West Bengal, India: Locals Accuse Police of Torture

The paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force has been deployed to establish law and order in three Maoists infested areas - West Medinipur, Purulia and Jhargram.

But local residents of various villages in West Bengal State say the security forces are torturing innocent villagers.

They say even young students are targeted.

[Manoranjan Manna, Injured Student]:
"Today the Joint forces saw red ink on my hand and they said I was paid to write posters for Maoists. They tortured me from 6 in the morning till 10 at night. Two of them stood over my chest and I had to push them away. Then five people from the Central Reserve Police Force came to torture me, lashing me with sticks and belts."

Villagers say there are 600 paramilitary forces on patrol and that they randomly pick students and other villagers and torture them.

Several students have been injured in the chest, face and back.

[Latika Patra, Mother of Injured Student]:
" Joint forces suddenly attacked him (my son) and fractured his face. He came home covering his face with his hand. They threatened that they would set us on fire and kill us. We sat there silently for some time and when they had gone, we came to the doctor for treatment for my son. They tortured every other student and villager."

In recent months, Maoist rebels have stepped up attacks in retaliation to a government offensive operation to clear them out of their jungle bases.