An 18-year-old engineering student, who was arrested last month in connection with a protest in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa, was taken to his college by police, allegedly in handcuffs, to fill out his examination form. According to his family, this happened despite a magistrate having told police orally not to handcuff him when taking him to the college.
The student was among several tribal people arrested on October 27 in connection with a protest that sought the enforcement of the “no-entry” rule for mining and heavy vehicles near a stretch in Chaibasa that locals describe as an accident-prone spot.
His elder sister told The Indian Express that the family had requested the magistrate to ensure her brother was not taken in handcuffs when escorted to the college. “The magistrate had also told the police orally that they should not handcuff him, and the police had agreed at the time. But later, they still handcuffed him and took him to the college,” she said.
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She said the incident had a lasting psychological impact on Sahil. “My brother is unwell in custody, but he is refusing to go to the hospital. He says he feels like a criminal and that people, including his friends and college mates, will look at him differently — just like they did when they saw him in handcuffs that day,” the sister said.
She said that he had turned 18 just weeks before his arrest.
Photos purportedly taken from inside the college premises showed the handcuffed student being escorted by uniformed personnel.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Bahman Tuti said the police action was carried out as per proper procedure.
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“As per procedure, when someone is in judicial custody and has to be taken outside, handcuffs may be used during transportation, especially if there is any possibility of escape,” he said, adding that unless there is a specific written order from the court instructing otherwise, the escorting police personnel are bound to follow standard procedures.
Tuti also said that since the request in this case was not in writing, police could not take that risk. If an accused manages to escape, the responsibility falls entirely on the escorting officers, which could even cost them their jobs, he said. “The jail administration also cannot act on oral instructions — it must follow written directions or the established rules,” he said.
West Singhbhum SP Amit Renu also said police were following due process. “If there is anything unlawful, necessary action will be taken against the delinquent officers,” he said.
He also said the case against student involved alleged stone-pelting. “We must also assess the gravity of the situation. A 17–18-year-old was involved in pelting stones and injuring police personnel,” the SP said.
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The student’s family, however, has demanded that the district police and jail administration be held accountable for what they claimed was the “public humiliation” of the student.
A senior official from the Chaibasa Engineering College said that usually, in cases where a student is in judicial custody but is allowed to appear for examinations or registration, the college receives a written court order or formal communication from the authorities. This time, however, college officials did not know the student would be brought until the day of the incident, the official said.
“In the past, we have had instances where students in custody were allowed to appear for exams. Their parents had to seek court permission, and police personnel would accompany them. During the exam, they were not handcuffed inside the hall, but remained under police supervision from outside,” the official said.
In the latest case, the official claimed that college staff asked the accompanying police team to share documents stating the reason for custody and guidelines for the process, “but they refused”.
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“As an individual, I personally believe he should not have been brought in handcuffs. But as a college, we cannot impose such directions on the police without a court order,” the official said.
