Machal Lalung facts for kids

Machal Lalung was a man from the Tiwa (Lalung) tribe in Assam, India. He lived in a village called Khalagaon (now Silchang) in Morigaon, Assam. Machal Lalung spent an incredible 54 years in jail without ever having a proper trial.

He was arrested in 1951 when he was 23 years old. He was accused of causing harm to someone. After his arrest, he was sent to a hospital for people with mental health issues in Tezpur. Sadly, he was forgotten there for many years.

In 1967, doctors said he was healthy again. But instead of being set free, he was moved to a jail in Guwahati. He stayed there for almost 40 more years. Finally, in 2005, human rights groups found out about his case. They helped bring his story to the attention of the National Human Rights Commission of India.

The Supreme Court of India then ordered the government to give him money as a way to make up for the time he lost. They also ordered a monthly payment for him. Machal Lalung passed away in 2007. His story shows how important it is for everyone to have a fair trial.

Early Life and Family

Machal Lalung was the youngest child of Lodor and Bihumoti Lalung. His family belonged to the Maslai clan of the Tiwa tribe. They had moved from the hills to settle in the Khalagaon area.

Sadly, Machal's parents died when he was still young. Because of this, he went to live with his older sister's family.

His Arrest and Long Wait

Machal Lalung was arrested in 1951. He was 23 years old at the time and was taken from his home village. A big problem was that Machal only spoke the Tiwa language. He could not speak Assamese, Hindi, or English. This language barrier likely made it very hard for him to talk with the police or other officials.

He was accused of "causing grievous harm." This type of charge usually means a jail sentence of no more than 10 years. However, groups who looked into his case later found no real proof to support the accusation.

Less than a year after his arrest, Machal was sent to a mental health hospital in Tezpur. He was then simply forgotten there. In 1967, doctors said he was "fully fit" and healthy. But instead of being released, he was moved to a jail in Guwahati. He stayed in that jail for almost four decades until he was finally set free.

Freedom After Many Years

In 2003, groups that work for human rights learned about Machal Lalung's situation. They brought his case to the attention of the National Human Rights Commission of India. Because of their help, his case was finally heard.

Machal Lalung was released from jail on June 1, 2005. He paid a very small amount of money, just one Indian rupee, as a promise to appear if needed. After his release, the Indian Supreme Court took notice of his case. They ordered the State Government to pay Machal Lalung a large sum of money, 3 lakh rupees (which is 300,000 rupees). They also ordered that he receive 1,000 rupees every month for the rest of his life.

Life After Release

By the time Machal Lalung was released, his sister had passed away in 2000. This meant he had no close family or relatives left. When he was taken back to his village, only one person there recognized him. A police officer said, "We handed him over to the village headman but could not find his family or relatives."

Machal Lalung died on December 25, 2007.

His case became very important. After his release, a lawyer wrote to the Chief Justice of India about Machal's difficult experience. The Supreme Court then used this case to make important decisions. They created rules to help other people who were stuck in jail or mental hospitals without a proper trial.