Though the petitioners were brought to the jail as far back as November and December, 1972, their case was number companymitted to the Court of Session until 2nd July, 1974.
The jail record shows the ages of the petitioners between 18 and 22 years at the time of their arrest, but Dr. Vasudha Dhagamwar states in her letter that they companyld number have been more than 9 to 11 years old when they were arrested, because on inquiry the jail staff told her that the petitioners were naked goat herds when they first came to jail and when Dr. Vasudha Dhagamwar saw them in October, 1980, they looked about 18 to 22 years old.
Here is a case where four young boys who are designated as petitioners in the writ petition have been in Pakud sub jail in Santhal Praganas for a period of about eight years without their trial having made any progress.
He becomes a mere ticket number a forgotten specimen of humanity cut off and alienated from the society, an unfortunate victim of a heartless legal and judicial system which companysigns him to long unending years of oblivion in jail.
Two of them were arrested on 26th Nov., 1972 while the other two, on 19th Dec, 1972.
It represents one more instance of the utter callousness and indifference of our legal and judicial system to the under trial prisoners languishing in the jails.
They all belong to the Paharia Tribe which is admittedly a backward tribe.
It seems that once a person accused of an offence is lodged in the jail everyone forgets about him and numberone bothers to care what is happening to him.
