Machang Lalung passes awayFrom Our Correspondent MORIGAON, Dec 26 – Machang Lalung, an undertrial prisoner for life who had been released two years back on bail after languishing for nearly 60 years in jail, died last night at his residence at Nellie. He was 80. The tragedy of Machang epitomizes the inherent defects in the country’s judicial system, as Machang was made a prisoner without any trial for a petty offence. Ironically, when he was finally freed in 2005 following an intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), his freedom was on bail only. In a sense, he never experienced true freedom before death ultimately cleared him of his bondage. Machang was sent to the jail in 1946 when he was still in his teens, and he never knew what his offence. All the written documents relating to his case were lost and the person stayed in jail without trial up to 2005. An award-winning documentary, "Freedom at the Edge", was also made on his life by Aenisha Sharma.
"The Assam Tribune" 26th Dec 2007
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