A Story of Machal Lalung
Machal Lalung's story is a perfect example of what can happen if the fundamental rights given to us by the Constitution of India are not available in practice.
Machal Lalung, a resident of Assam, was only 23 years old when he was arrested. He was alleged of causing serious injuries. If found guilty, the maximum penalty under this provision is 10 years in prison. However, Machal was sent to jail where he was found mentally unstable to stand trail and was therefore sent to a mental hospital in Tejpur for treatment.
He was treated successfully and the doctors wrote twice to the jail authorities to initiate the trial. However, nobody paid any attention. He was finally released in July 2005. He was then 77 years of age. he had spent 54 years in jail and his case had never come up for hearing. He was freed when a team appointed by the National Human Rights Commission intervened, on a bail for Re 1.
Machal Lalung died two years later. Who is responsible for this?
Aneisha Sharma, a filmmaker who made the film 'Freedom at the Edge' on Lalung's life, remarks " It was a strange life that our system forced upon this innocent man."
