Machal Lalung
Encyclopedia
Machal Lalung was an Indian
from the village of Khalagaon (now Silchang) in Morigaon, Assam
, who spent 64 years in an Indian jail without facing trial.
of the Tiwa (Lalung)
tribe, and had come from the hills to settle in the Khalagaon area, but his parents died when he was young, forcing him to live with his older sister’s family.
in India and the whole world was then witnessing World War II
. Lalung was arrested in his home village in 1941, aged 23, under section 326 of the Indian Penal Code
for "causing grievous harm", a charge which normally results in a sentence of no more than 10 years’ imprisonment, though civil rights organisations who recently investigated the case apparently found "no substantive evidence" to support the charge.
or even Assamese
but only Tiwa language. Maybe Army officials, getting no proper response from him, arrested him. Secondly, he looked like Japanese people
. He might be mistaken for Japanese spy, which led him to the arrest.
, and apparently forgotten. In 1967, doctors certified Lalung as "fully fit", but instead of being released, he was transferred to a jail in Guwahati
, where he remained until his release.
. As a result of the Commission’s intervention, his case was heard and he was released on June 1, 2005, after paying a token bond of one Indian rupee
.
, taking suo motu notice, ordered the State Government
to pay Lalung a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh
and a monthly assistance of Rs. 1,000 for life.
Lalung died on December 25, 2007.
Freedom at the Edge
is a short film by Aneisha Sharma, based on Lalung's story.
, met Lalung while preparing a report about him, and showed him a copy of Aneisha Sharm’s film. Lalung reportedly told him that his name was Machal, and not Machang as shown in the film.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from the village of Khalagaon (now Silchang) in Morigaon, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, who spent 64 years in an Indian jail without facing trial.
Early days
Lalung was the youngest child of Lodor and Bihumoti Lalung. They belonged to the Mathanlai clanClan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
of the Tiwa (Lalung)
Tiwa (Lalung)
Tiwa is a tribal group inhabiting the States of Assam and Meghalaya in Northeast India. They are recognized as a Scheduled tribe within the State of Assam...
tribe, and had come from the hills to settle in the Khalagaon area, but his parents died when he was young, forcing him to live with his older sister’s family.
Arrest
It was the time of British ruleBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in India and the whole world was then witnessing World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Lalung was arrested in his home village in 1941, aged 23, under section 326 of the Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
for "causing grievous harm", a charge which normally results in a sentence of no more than 10 years’ imprisonment, though civil rights organisations who recently investigated the case apparently found "no substantive evidence" to support the charge.
Assumptions behind arrest
There may be, as it is assumed, two reasons behind Lalung’s arrest. Firstly, he could speak no Hindi, EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
or even Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
but only Tiwa language. Maybe Army officials, getting no proper response from him, arrested him. Secondly, he looked like Japanese people
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
. He might be mistaken for Japanese spy, which led him to the arrest.
Detention
Less than a year after his arrest, Lalung was transferred to a psychiatric institution in TezpurTezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
, and apparently forgotten. In 1967, doctors certified Lalung as "fully fit", but instead of being released, he was transferred to a jail in Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
, where he remained until his release.
Release
In 2003, local human rights groups brought Lalung's case to the attention of the National Human Rights Commission of IndiaNational Human Rights Commission of India
The National Human Rights Commission of India is an autonomous statutory body established on 12 October 1993, under the provisions of The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 .-Functions:...
. As a result of the Commission’s intervention, his case was heard and he was released on June 1, 2005, after paying a token bond of one Indian rupee
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
.
Compensation
Following his release, the Indian Supreme CourtSupreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
, taking suo motu notice, ordered the State Government
Government of Assam
The Government of Assam is the provincial governing authority of the state of Assam in the Republic of India.It consists of the Governor as the head of the state, who is nominated by the Government of India. The head of government is the Chief Minister, who is the leader of the group that commands...
to pay Lalung a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh
Lakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
and a monthly assistance of Rs. 1,000 for life.
After the release
Lalung's sister had died in 2000, leaving Lalung with no family or relatives. After Lalung's release, he was taken back to his village, where only one villager recognised him. "We handed him over to the village headman but could not find his family or relatives" said a police official.Lalung died on December 25, 2007.
In film
Freedom at the Edge
Freedom at the Edge is an Assamese language short film by Aneisha Sharma based on a real life story.-Synopsis:The story is about a youth named Machang Lalung from Middle Assam, who was charged and kept imprisoned in various Indian jails without trial for 54 years...
is a short film by Aneisha Sharma, based on Lalung's story.
Machal or Machang
Pranjal Kumar Mahanta, a correspondent of Assamese magazine BismoiBismoi
Bismoi is a leading entertainment Assamese monthly magazine published from Guwahati, Assam since 4 decades. It is published by Bismoi Prakash and the editor is Shashi Phukan. Renowned assamese writers like Bandita Phukan and Ranju Hazarika started publishing their novels and stories here....
, met Lalung while preparing a report about him, and showed him a copy of Aneisha Sharm’s film. Lalung reportedly told him that his name was Machal, and not Machang as shown in the film.