India says disturbed over sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi
New Delhi, Dec 7: India on Tuesday said it is "disturbed" by the recent verdicts relating to Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others, saying the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld.
Suu Kyi had been sentenced to a four-year jail term by a court in Myanmar after holding her guilty of inciting dissent in the first of a series of verdicts. Her sentence was later reduced from four years to two years.
"We are disturbed at the recent verdicts. As a neighbouring democracy, India has been consistently supportive of the democratic transition in Myanmar," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi said.
"We believe that the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld. Any development that undermines these processes and accentuates differences is a matter of deep concern," he said.
Bagchi was responding to a media query about the proceedings against Aung Sang Suu Kyi and others in Myanmar.
"It is our sincere hope that keeping their nation's future in mind, efforts would be made by all sides to advance the path of dialogue," he said.
Myanmar was rocked by massive protests after the military seized power in a coup on February 1.
Hundreds of people, including children, were killed in the crackdown against the protesters by Myanmarese authorities.
Leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Suu Kyi was among the key people detained by the military following the coup.
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Protests erupt after Dalit youth held on harassment complaint dies in police custody in UP
Azamgarh (PTI): The death of a 20-year-old Dalit youth under suspicious circumstances while in custody at Tarwa police station here triggered tense protests led by his family and local residents on Monday.
The agitators vandalised a police vehicle and blocked the road in front of the station, prompting authorities to call for heavy police deployment to control the situation.
The youth, identified as Sunny Kumar, son of Harikant, was taken into custody on Sunday over a sexual harassment complaint filed by a minor. A guard found him hanging on the drawstring of his pyjama in the station's bathroom late that night.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Hemraj Meena, preliminary investigations suggested that the youth committed suicide.
However, Kumar's family as well as Samajwadi Party's Azamgarh MP Dharmendra Yadav alleged that the youth was beaten to death.
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Following the incident, authorities have placed several police stations on high alert.
The Tarwa station house officer, a sub-inspector and a constable have been suspended, and District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter.
According to police, a minor girl's family had complained against Kumar on March 28, accusing him of making obscene gestures and playing vulgar songs on his mobile phone when she was passing by.
Acting on the complaint, police took Kumar into custody on Sunday.
Late that night, a guard saw his lifeless body through the bathroom window.
As the news spread, Kumar's family and a group of villagers gathered at the station, alleging custodial murder.
The post-mortem was conducted amid tight security. SSP Meena said no injury marks was found on the body, but all aspects of the case is being thoroughly investigated.
Officials said the situation was tense but under control.
