Address for correspondence: Kaustubh Das

34-A, Shastri Nagar Society

Nizampura, Vadodara
Gujarat.
Ph.0 7043220178

To,
The Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission
CC:
The Chief Minister
Gandhinagar, Gujarat,
CC:
The Police Commissioner
Vadodara, Gujarat
CC:
The Vice Chancellor
Maharaja Sayajirao University
Vadodara

Subject : Complaint against the illegal detention of 55 Tibetan Students of

Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara.(16 -17 September 2014)

Dear Sir,
We, the undersigned, would like to bring to your attention the case of illegal
detention of the 55 Tibetan students of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of
Baroda on 16th and 17th of September 2014. We would like the Commission to
note that no information was provided by the police officers towards the reason
of the detention. The only explanation offered was that the Tibetan students
have been detained as a precautionary measure and that orders for their
detention have come from the Centre. It is clear that these orders were issued in
the light of the Chinese Premiers visit to Gujarat on 17 September. We request a
clear-cut explanation as to which laws and statutes were used to detain the
students and under whose orders. We would also request a copy of the said
orders.
As citizens of India we strongly condemn this action of the Police, the State and
also the administrative authority of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

The freedom to create informed political opinion and to organize peaceful protest
is a fundamental human right enshrined in the Constitution of India. The right to
freedom of movement and expression are fundamental rights also protected by
the constitution.
If detention was made on the suspicion of illegal activities, was there any
information sought on the backgrounds of the students? Did any of the students
detained have any criminal record or relations with any criminal or terrorist
organization? Was there any physical evidence of the plan of any terrorist
activity? The authorities need to be reminded that organizing peaceful protest is
not an illegal act.
Subsequent to the detention of these students, local (non-Tibetan) students of
the Maharaja Sayajirao University who spontaneously protested the draconian
measures of the police were also harassed by the police. Some students were
also physically manhandled and intimidated by the police officers present. The
actions of the police were completely inhuman, unethical and a gross violation of
the laws of the country.
Please see the news coverage of the incident by The Times of India, (Ahmadabad
edition) attached as annexure-1
List of Concerned Citizens: Signatories to this complaint
No.

Name

Address

Phone No.

1.

Kaustubh Das

34-A, Shastri Nagar Society

7043220178

Nizampura , Vadodara

2.

Archit Mehta

Room 73, MA Hall, Halls Of

Residency,MSU

8866406919

3.

Abhijan Gupta

Sanket Flats,
Pratapganj,Vadodara

9979937360

4.

Dr Deeptha Achar

5 Vrindavan Nagar, Sama

Road, Vadodara

9898513705

5.

Dr. Trupti Shah

37, Patrakar colony,

09427937162

Tandalaja Road, Vadodara

6.

Rohit Prajapati

37, Patrakar colony,

0265-2320399

Tandalaja Road, Vadodara

7.

Professor Johannes
Manjrekar

001, sunflower Appt. Near

Anandbag society, Sama
Road, Vadodara.

9328964245

8.

Dr. Nandini Manjrekar

001, sunflower Appt. Near

Anandbag society, Sama

9324764425

Road, Vadodara.

Annexure-1

Tibetan students on hunger strike to protest

police detention
TNN | Sep 18, 2014, 12.28 PM IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Tibetan-students-on-hunger-strike-toprotest-police-detention/articleshow/42791730.cms

VADODARA: Police crackdown on Tibetan students continued on Wednesday as M S

University's guesthouse was turned into a fortress by the cops. Girl students were detained
inside the guesthouse while their male counterparts were kept at the police headquarters in
Pratapnagar. The Tibetan students began a hunger strike from Tuesday night alleging police
misbehaviour.
The police, on the other hand, said that the detentions were made anticipating trouble. "The
Tibetan students had sought permission to organize a rally on Wednesday. They said that
about 100 students will participate in the rally. We detained 55 students as we thought that
they might create trouble during Chinese president Xi Jinping's visit to Ahmedabad," said city
police commissioner E Radhakrishnan.
On Tuesday night the cops had detained 26 girls and 29 boys from the MSU campus without
informing the MSU officials. It was after the intervention of university officials that the girls
were shifted to the guest house.
"All we had demanded was permission for a peaceful protest. Instead the cops picked us up
forcibly. The police pushed us into their van and mistreated us while detaining us. We are on
hunger strike to protest such treatment meted out to us," said Tenzin Tophel, president of
Tibetan Students Association of Baroda that which has 120 student members from MSU.
Tophel said that the police had earlier promised to allow a peaceful rally at a designated area
away from the venue in Ahmedabad. He added that Vadodara police came to their hostel on
pretext of preparing identity cards for them.
On Wednesday, the cops picked up three other Tibetan girls along with an Indian student from
Faculty of Fine Arts even as they were not staging any protest.

This group was also brought to the university guest house. Later, the police detained another
group of students of Faculty of Fine Arts trying to protest outside the guest house against the
illegal detention of their fellow students. The police even locked up entire guest house
premises.