Activists move NHRC over anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi's "deteriorating" health condition in Assam jail

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a case in connection with "deteriorating" health condition of anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi, who is lodged in the Guwahati central jail since December.

The commission registered the case on Wednesday after two human rights activists -- Henri Tiphagne of Madurai-based People’s Watch and Babloo Loitongbam of the Human Rights Alert from Manipur -- submitted a complaint to NHRC chairperson, Justice (retired) H. L. Dattu.

The duo complained that Gogoi was not admitted to a hospital despite complaining about severe stomach pain due to which he was not in a position to get up from his bed inside the jail.

"Akhil has been suffering from severe back pain and kidney-related issues for long and was under constant medical observation at the time of his arrest on December 12. His health condition, in the absence of proper medical care and treatment, significantly deteriorated and is a serious cause of concern. Given this, he was taken to the Gauhati Medical College on February 29, almost 75 days after his arrest. He was kept under observation for a day, no tests were conducted apparently for the clearance from the NIA and sent back to the central jail. He wasn’t admitted in the hospital despite complaining about stomach pain due to urine infection. His legal counsels went to meet him in the jail on March 2, but were not able to meet him as he was down with high fever and severe stomach pain and was not in a position to get up from the bed," said the complaint lodged with the NHRC.

This comes a day after Akhil's wife Gitashree Tamuly moved a special NIA court here seeking its intervention and complained that he was denied proper treatment inside the jail. The NIA court sought a report from the government on Tuesday following which a medical team was sent to the jail on Wednesday.

Gogoi, who leads the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and a few of his associates were arrested on December 12 after violence broke out during an anti-CAA agitation. Gogoi, who has been vocal against the BJP, is facing sedition charges. The Assam government had handed over his case to the NIA alleging that he had Maoist links.

The arrest of Akhil and his associates have led many in Assam and other parts of the country allege that the BJP-led government was harassing him to curtail his strong public movement against the CAA. Activist Medha Patkar, who met Akhil inside the jail recently, said Akhil was arrested as the BJP was worried over his strong movement ahead of next year's Assembly elections in Assam.