NHRC seeks action from RPF chief on harassment of rights activist

GUWAHATI

Taking a stern view of the alleged misuse of official power and intimidation of citizens, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought action from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) for allegedly harassing a Guwahati-based human rights activist.

Marking the allegations by Monojit Singha as “serious violations of human rights”, the NHRC asked the New Delhi-based RPF Director General to submit an action taken report within two weeks of the directive issued on July 2.

The case stems from an incident on August 7, 2025, at New Colony in Guwahati’s Pandu area. According to the complaint, the Northeast Frontier Railway’s Senior Section Engineer (Works/West/Pandu), Abhijit Naug, accompanied by uniformed RPF personnel, descended upon the residence of Mr Singha’s parents and allegedly conducted a neighbourhood interrogation. This, the complainant said, spread suspicion and caused severe mental distress to his elderly parents.

The complainant stated that this “heavy-handed action” was carried out without any official complaint, first information report, written notice, or coordination with the local jurisdictional civil police.

Mr. Singha said that the visit was an act of open victimisation and retaliation for his role as a whistle-blower, and his association with railway welfare and public safety awareness initiatives.

He said he had been raising concerns and supported citizens’ complaints regarding a widespread illegal railway quarter-rent racket and rampant land encroachments within the Senior Section Engineer’s jurisdiction in Pandu.

These security lapses came to light earlier when the Assam police arrested members of banned organisations from illegally occupied railway quarters in the area, Mr. Singha said.

He said he approached the NHRC after complaints to the Chief Security Commissioner and the Principal Chief Security Commissioner of the Northeast Frontier Railway in August 2025 elicited no response.

Perusing the petition, the NHRC Law Division bench headed by Deputy Registrar (Law) Sparsh Agarwal observed that the high-handedness of the railway officials constitutes a serious infringement on a citizen’s right to life with dignity.