Picked up in a case of bike theft, the police unleashed third degree torture on the innocent victim in custody
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The police in Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh have registered an FIR against five policemen for brutally torturing a 22- year-old Muslim man on the suspicion of bike theft.
Speaking to Clarion India in Tuesday, the victim’s cousin, Sohrab, said Rehan was picked up on May 2, a day before Eid after he took his wages from his contractor. The police told Rehan that they had picked him up in a case related to bike theft. In the custody, he was meted out with third degree torture by the police. The cops gave him electric shocks and inserted a stick in his rectum.
After two days of third degree torture, Rehan was let off by the police. According to Sohrab, they wanted to file an FIR against the errant police officers at that time, but the police persuaded them against doing so offering to bear the expenses of Rehan’s medical treatment. But as no medical treatment was forthcoming from the police his condition deteriorated by May 25.
After a preliminary investigation into the matter, SP city Praveen Singh Chauhan confirmed that the allegations levelled by the family are true.
“The allegations against five policemen were found to be true during a preliminary investigation. We have registered an FIR against them for wrongful confinement and torture. Steps are being taken to suspend them and carry out an impartial investigation in the case. We are also financially assisting the family to ensure best possible treatment for the victim,” the SP quoted by The Times of India as saying.
All the five accused cops have been booked under sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC, along with others.
Meanwhile, speaking about the condition of Rehan, a doctor attending on him said, “The patient is getting seizures regularly, which means his nervous system is affected, possibly because of a shock”.
Rehan was first admitted in a Bulandshahar hospital before being taken to Delhi.
Sohrab said Rehan’s parents are extremely poor and are not in a position to afford medical treatment for him. His father is a laborer who digs graves. His treatment was possible only when some good Samaritans came forward with financial help.
Sohrab alleged that some police officials are trying to hush up the case by claiming that the victim’s family members have reached an agreement with them. They are even showing a document with the thump impression of the victim’s parents.. But Rehan’s relatives have vehemently denied any agreement with the police.
According to Soharab, the papers were related to the policemen’s promise to give medical treatment to Rehan, a promise which they failed to keep. He demanded an exemplary punishment for the culprits while seeking the government’s help to the family for Rehan’s treatment.
The incident triggered uproar on social media. Reacting to the horror an innocent person was made to go through, Prof. Ashok Swain said, “Only in India do animals have more rights than Muslims”.
Prominent lawyer Prashant Bhushan wrote, “Shameful! Virtual justification of the horrific torture of the youth by UP Police officials is being given by the police spokie. This lawless behavior by the UP police is sanctioned by the top. We cannot expect it to change unless some policemen are given exemplary punishment”.
