After NHRC notice, Stan Swamy put on ventilator support

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Sunday (July 4) told the Maharashtra government to provide proper medical treatment to Elgar Parishad accused Father Stan Swamy, who has reportedly been put on ventilator support at Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai since then.

Earlier, 84-year-old Swamy’s deteriorating health drew the attention of the NHRC and several NGOs which said getting medical help is his basic human right.

Horrible news to learn that Indian HRD Fr. Stan Swamy is in very serious condition&was put on a ventilator last night.He's spent 9 months in jail on unfounded charges.I’m deeply saddened&expect that every possible specialist treatment will be provided to him

— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) July 4, 2021

The NHRC had sent a notice to Maharashtra Chief secretary seeking immediate action, after which Swamy was put on ventilator support, reported Outlook.

The NHRC has asked the state government to provide adequate medical treatment to Swamy and submit a report within four weeks.

In May, the NHRC had received a complaint stating that Stan Swamy was not given medical attention while COVID-19 was raging and most of the jail staff members and some under trials had tested positive. The complainant said that Swamy had not received the vaccine and the state of affairs in the Taloja jail hospital were bad.

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The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has charged Swamy and another person for working on behalf of the banned CPI (Maoists) and instigating the 2017 Elgar-Parishad violence in Pune district of Maharashtra. He has been in the Taloja prison hospital since October 2020.

In May this year, the Bombay High Court had told the the state prison department to shift Swamy, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, to the Holy Family Hospital nearby.