INVESTIGATION REPORT INTO CUSTODIAL DEATH AND TORTURE IN HASSANPUR
VILLAGE, DISTRICT ROPAR
CHANDIGARH
September 22,1999
The Police high handedness and killing of innocent people in
the name of “interrogation” and containing the re-eruption
of militancy in Punjab has reached its peak with cases of Custodial
torture and “police excesses” appearing in the media
everyday. The Custodial death of Devinder Singh, son of Sh. Gurmukh
Singh, in Village Hassanpur, Distt.Ropar is the latest case of
Police turning into Judge, Jury and Executioner.
On 20th September,1999 almost all newspapers of region including
“The Tribune,” published from Chandigarh published
a news report, titled “ Youth dies in Police Custody”,
the true copy of which is appended herewith. Next day, on 21st
September,1999 a team of Lawyers representing Lawyers For Human
Rights, comprising of Mr .Navkiran Singh, Mr.Arunjeev Singh Walia
,Advocates of Chandigarh and Mr.Anil Kaushik ,Advocate, Kharar,
went to Village Hassanpur on a fact finding visit and conducted
a detailed investigation into the whole incident.
Village Hasanpur, a small peaceful village of about 2500 people
is situated on Kharar -Morinda road in District Ropar, about 30
kilometres from Chandigarh. Most of the people including the victims
belong to Sikh peasantry class and lead a peaceful life. Akali
background of the elders still leaves an impression on the inhabitants.
Interestingly, the village has remained Crime-free even during
the days of terrorism in the State.
NAME AND ADDRESSES OF VICTIMS:-
- Devinder Singh, alias Bhola, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged
21
years, Occupation- Driver, Education- 8th Class passed
Marital Status- Un-married. ( Deceased )
- Sapinder Singh, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged 24 years
Occupation- Farming, Education- 7th passed.( Tortured)
- Inderjit Singh, son of Labh Singh, aged 21 years, Occupation-Painter
in private firm, Education- 8th class Passed, Marital Status-
Un-married.(Tortured)
- Karnail Singh, son of Sarwan Singh, aged 22 years, Occupation-
Scooter mechanic, Education- 7th passed, Marital Status-Married.(Tortured)
FACTS:-
Devinder Singh, alias Bhola, son of Sh. Gurmukh Singh,aged 21
years un-married was a Jat Sikh with no criminal background. He
was working as Driver and looking after his old parents alongwith
his brother Sapinder Singh . In the wee hours ie. 4.A.M, of illfated
day of 18th September,1999 a Police party led by Inspector Didar
Singh, S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib and Sub-Inspector
Malvinder Singh Malhi, and Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa, both
posted at C.I.A. Staff, Ropar and other policemen raided the house
of one Karnail Singh, son of Sh. Sarwan Singh of the same village
and asked him to lead to the house of Devinder Singh. When the
Police party raided the house of Devinder Singh at about 4.05
a.m. his parents were sleeping and Devinder Singh had gone outside.
The Police party asked the whereabouts of Devinder Singh and when
he could not be found there, they took Sapinder Singh, the elder
son of Sh. Gurmukh Singh and told the parents that if they want
Sapinder Singh back, they should produce Devinder Singh in C.I.A.
Staff Ropar. While going outside, Devinder Singh was seen near
the tubewell in the Village and he was also taken alongwith his
brother Sapinder Singh and the other person Karnail Singh. They
were taken to C.I.A. Staff Ropar, which is situated at a distance
of around 35 kilometres from Hasanpur at about 6 a.m. on 18.9.1999.
In the C.I.A. staff Ropar, in the presence of Inspector Didar
Singh, S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib, a retired A.S.I.
Sant Singh, who is not working on the rolls of Punjab Police,
but entrusted the work of torturing people in most inhuman manner,
along with S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi and S.I. Manvir Singh Bajwa
and other policemen brought Sapinder Singh, Karnail Singh to the
Courtyard at about 8 a.m. and beat the three youth badly. Their
legs were torn apart at 180 Degrees , petrol was applied on their
private parts and Lathi blows were given on their legs and back.
They were subjected to third degree treatment for more than one
hour, seperately. Then they were shifted in the lock-up and Devinder
Singh was brought outside. He was tied upside down from his hair
and badly beaten with Lathis, and his legs torn apart at 180 Degrees
and petrol was applied on his private parts. Although Devinder
Singh was a healthy boy of more than 6 ft height and seventy kilogram
weight, he could not bear the third degree treatment given to
him by the above named police officers. He was repeatedly asked
about One Assault rifle which the police alleged that he had concealed
somewhere. At about 2 p.m. S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi, S.I. Manvir
Singh Bajwa and Inspector Didar Singh again brought Devinder Singh
to the Village and went to a nearby land and by employing some
labourers dug a substantial piece of land. When Devinder Singh
was brought to the village his condition was very serious and
all the villagers had gathered there and people saw the serious
condition of Devinder Singh. After some time one big JCV machine
for digging land was brought and almost one Bigha of land was
dug with the help of the machine but nothing was recovered. This
digging continued till 5 p.m. during which period, Devinder Singh
could not stand or sit and was lying on the ground.
He was forced to give the name of one Inderjit Singh, son of
Sh. Labh Singh, a young painter of the same village. At about
7 p.m. when Inderjit Singh was present in his house and without
disclosing him about the cause of his detention, he was taken
away in a White Maruti Gypsy. Both the boys were taken outside
the Village on the Sahoran road, about two kilometres from their
Village and on the road, they were brutally beaten in full public
view in order to extort confession of having kept one assault
rifle in their village. Then they were taken to C.I.A. Staff,Ropar
and again subjected to inhuman third degree torture. Then they
were locked in separate lock-ups.
In the meantime, at about 11 a.m. few respectable citizens of
the Village including Mr.Kaka Singh, Nambardar, Mr.Bachittar Singh,
son of the Sarpanch, Mr.Harbhajan Singh Shergil and Harnek Singh
went to C.I.A. Staff Ropar to inquire about the well being of
the boys. There they were allowed to see Devinder Singh, at about
1 p.m. and were informed by the Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh
Malhi that he has agreed to give the Assault rifle. At that time,
his condition was very serious and he could not stand and walk
properly due to third degree torture. The police officers present
there promised to release other boys in the evening and also assured
that Devinder Singh would be released after three-four days. In
the evening when the Village Panchayat passed an authority Letter
to Mr. Gurmukh Singh father of Sapinder Singh and Devinder Singh
and Mr. Harbant Singh to get back the custody of their children
from Police custody, they went to the C.I.A. staff Ropar at about
5 p.m. but even after sitting there for more than three hours,
when they were not given the custody of their children, they returned
back empty handed on 18th September,1999.
As a matter of fact, Devinder Singh was so badly tortured that
he died the same day at about 6.30 p.m. and his dead body was
brought to the Civil Hospital, Ropar by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi
of C.I.A. staff Ropar and an entry in the hospital record proves
this fact. It is mentioned in the hospital register that a dead
body was brought by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi at about 8.35 p.m.
On 19th September, 1999 at about 4 a.m. Sapinder Singh, Inderjit
Singh and Karnail Singh were taken out and after roaming in the
forest area for more than two hours, they were brought to Kharar
Police Station and were locked there till 4 pm. Till this time
they were not aware about the whereabouts of Devinder Singh. At
about 4 p.m. the three were brought outside and taken to Civil
Hospital, Kharar for medical examination. Before taking there
they were threatened of dire consequences if they told anything
to the Doctors about their custodial torture. No proper medical
examination was conducted and the Doctors without asking anything
from the boys issued the false medico-legal report, depicting
that no marks of external injuries found, although their condition
was very serious. They could not even walk or stand properly,
but even this could not be noticed by the doctors and they were
declared “OK”.
At about 5 p.m. they were taken to the Judicial Courts, Kharar
and told that now they would be let-off. The Judicial Magistrate,
Kharar, Mrs. Neelam Arora, allowed the application of prosecution
seeking discharge of the three boys as no recovery of any arms
could be made from them. The Magistrate even though witnessing
the tortured condition of the these three accused, in a most mechanical
manner accepted the medical reports and without caring to provide
the accused with any counsel at the State expense. From there,
the three were taken by A.S.I. Balkar Singh of Police post Gharuan,
Tehsil Kharar to Village Hasanpur in his private Maruti Car. There
the people had gathered and their parents told them that Devinder
Singh had been killed.
On the other side back in the Village Hasanpur, on 19th September,1999
A.S.I. Balkar Singh of Police Post Gharuan, Tehsil Kharar came
to Village Hasanpur and contacted Harbant Singh ,Kaka Singh Nambardar
and told them that he has received a telephonic message from Ropar
that Devinder Singh has suffered attack and has been admitted
to Civil Hospital, Ropar and he asked the respectables of the
village to accompany him to Ropar. Few villagers including Kaka
Singh, Bachittar Singh, Gurmukh Singh and Avtar Kaur, parents
of Devinder Singh, Surjit Kaur sister of Gurmukh Singh went alongwith
the police officer to Ropar. On reaching near the Civil Hospital,
Ropar, A.S.I. Balkar Singh told them that he has just now received
wireless message that Devinder Singh had died of heart attack
and his dead body is lying in Civil Hospital Ropar. On reaching
the hospital, all the villagers immediately went to see the Emergency
Medical Officer, who informed them that Devinder Singh was brought
dead in the hospital. At that time DSP Avtar Singh of Commando
Centre, Ropar was present over there. Shocked over this tragedy,
the parents and villagers started crying and as the news of the
death of Devinder Singh reached Hasanpur and adjoining villages,
hundreds of people thronged the Civil Hospital, Ropar and expressing
their anguish over the heinous crime, the Civil Hospital, Ropar
was Gheraoed (Protest Rally) by the villagers for more than three
hours. Sensing trouble heavy police force was deployed around
the Civil Hospital Ropar. In the meantime, few respectable citizens
of the Village went to the office of Senior Superintendent of
Police, Ropar where Deputy Commissioner, Ropar was also present
and the villagers were told that a case of murder has been registered
against one Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi and a magisterial
inquiry has been ordered to be conducted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate,
Ropar, Mr.Amarjit Shahi and nobody guilty of the heinous crime
would be spared. But the villagers told them that they will not
accept the dead body of the deceased Devinder Singh unless the
three other boys namely Sapinder Singh, brother of Devinder Singh,
Karnail Singh and Inderjit Singh were released immediately. On
the intervention of S.S.P. Ropar, the three boys were later got
discharged and released on 19.9.1999 at about 6.30 p.m.
The Post-mortem of the dead body of Devinder Singh was conducted
on 19.9.1999 at about 3p.m. and ended at about 5 p.m. when the
dead body was got identified by the parents of Devinder Singh,
blue marks of torture on the back and blood was flowing out of
the cut marks present on his thighs. His other parts of the body
bore showing many marks of custodial torture even with a naked
eye. The dead body of the deceased was handed over to the villagers
at about 6 p.m. and he was cremated in the Village Cremation ground
at about 7 p.m. on 19.9.1999.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ropar Mr.Amarjit Singh Shahi remained
in the room where the post-mortem was conducted and Video-graphy
of the post-mortem was also done as per the directions of the
National Human Rights Commission. The statements of Bachittar
Singh, Kaka Singh, Gurmukh singh, Avtar Kaur and few others were
taken by the S.D.M. in the hospital itself and the statements
of the three victims/ eye witnesses, namely Inderjit Singh, Sapinder
Singh and Karnail Singh were taken on 20th September, 1999 when
the three were taken on cots to the office of S.D.M.Ropar. As
their condition deteriorated an application was moved in the Court
seeking their immediate medical examination to be conducted by
a board of doctors and on the orders of the Court, the three were
got medically examined by a board of doctors in Civil Hospital,
Ropar on 22nd September,1999.Though no marks of external injuries
have been reported in the medico-legal examination reports but
the three being in severe bodily pain and unable to move,were
immediately admitted as In-door patients in the Civil Hospital
and they were under strict observation of Senior Doctors till
the filing of this report.
Although the entire village and even surrounding villages have
shown exemplary solidarity with the victims and their families,
yet the police influence has succeeded in threatening and intimidating
the witnesses and their family members with further implication
or harassment and distorted versions of the incidents are being
told in order to shield certain police officers involved in the
crime. Even then, there is great resentment and anguish in the
people and they have still not able to come out of the tragedy
the situation in the village was tense but peaceful. The people
have lost complete faith in the State machinery and demand an
independent probe into the whole incident and that the guilty
may be brought to books.
POLICE VERSION:-
According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar Mr.Gurpreet
Singh Bhullar, on receiving information about the victims’
death at 9 p.m. on 18th September,1999 he immediately ordered
that an First Information Report be registered against the officials
concerned. The F.I.R. was registered at about 9.40 p.m. on 18th
September,1999. The SSP further told the media persons that Devinder
Singh alias Bhola, (deceased) was arrested following the registration
of a case against him under Section 25 of Arms Act at Police Station
Kharar on 18.9.1999. The police had arrested all the four persons
after receiving a specific information that they possessed an
assault rifle. He however, admitted that no assault rifle was
recovered from either the victims or from the fields, but maintained
that the boys had test-fired the weapon few days ago. He also
admitted that these persons had no previous criminal record. At
another point of time, the SSP said that the four persons were
arrested on suspicion that in 1995 when an assault rifle had been
buried in the fields of Mewa Singh of this village, Devinder Singh
had allegedly taken out the said weapon and test fired it. But
Inspector Didar Singh, who led the police party which illegally
picked up Devinder Singh and three others and committed the most
heinous crime against humanity, told the media that Devinder Singh(deceased)
had died due to heart attack, as he was already suffering from
some disorder.The Chief Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Ropar
after conducting the Post-mortem of the deceased told the media
that no external injury marks were found on the body of the deceased
and the cause of death could not be established from the post-mortem
conducted by the board of doctors. The final opinion on the cause
of death has been deferred till the report of Viscera of the deceased
is received from the concerned laboratory.
ACTION TAKEN BY POLICE:-
The First information report no.172 dated 18.9.1999 under Section
302 I.P.C. P.S. Ropar is patently a bogus document and has been
registered at the bare statement of the accused Sub-Inspector Malvinder
Singh Malhi contrary to the procedure of Criminal Law that the FIR
has to be registered on the statement of the Complainant. The F.I.R.
simply mentions that Devinder Singh alias Bhola was in the lawful
custody of Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi and during investigation
he suffered an “attack” and was taken to Civil Hospital,
Ropar where he died of the “attack”. No other police
officer has been named or found involved in the conspiracy and the
theory of a death due to “ heart attack” has been put
forward in the F.I.R by the Police authorities. Even after a week
of the Custodial death of Devinder Singh alias Bhola, not even a
single police officer has been arrestsed or suspended and the Chief
Minister of Punjab has not found “time” to console the
parents of the deceased or take strict action against the erring
cops.
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT:-
Sapinder Singh, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged 24 years, married
only six months before, is the elder brother of deceased Devinder
Singh alias Bhola and himslef a victim of the police excesses. According
to his statement given to our team while lying on the cot, they
were brutally tortured in the CIA staff Ropar in the presence of
Inspector Didar Singh, by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi, S.I. Manvir
Singh Bajwa, Inspector Sant Singh(Retd.) and other policemen. While
the three even weak were able to bear the third degree treatment,
Devinder Singh who was healthier than the others but being given
severe beating by the above named police officers, suffered serious
injuries. He was tied up-side down from his hair and heavy weight
was put on his hair and then his legs were torn apart at 180 degrees
and after stripping him petrol was applied on his private parts
and lathi blows were given on his back and on his feet soles.
Inderjit Singh, son of Labh Singh, another victim told that in
the C.I.A. staff Ropar, all of them were kept in separate rooms
and he heard the screms of Devinder Singh till evening and thereafter
he did not hear any thing about Devinder Singh. While narrating
the torture inflicted on Devinder Singh which led to his death,
he told that after they were mercilessly beaten, some while powder
was mixed in water and forced to consume it and thereafter again
beat them badly. Devinder Singh who was already nude, was caught
from both of his legs stretched apart and full one litre of petrol
was administered on his private parts. At this he cried out of
pain loudly and was screaming “Save me”. Then the
policemen locked them in separate cells and again started beating
separately. At last, One loud cry of Devinder Singh was heard,
“ Mother, I am dying.” Thereafter no voice was heard
from his side. Describing his own torture, Inderjit said that
he was stripped, laid on the ground and mercilessly beaten. His
head was hit on the wall leading to a serious injury on his forehead.
His legs were streched apart at 180 degrees and petrol was put
on his private parts when it started bleeding due to streching
of the legs. He is unable to excrete or urinate and his lower
limbs are not in his control.
This statement was corroborated by all other witnesses who themselves
have not been able to come out of the trauma of the third degree
treatment given to them. Their condition is so serious that they
could not even change their side while in the cot without the
help of somebody. Their limbs have become motionless and voice
trembling out of fear and being dumb struck they hardly converse
with their parents. They are unable to hide the expression of
fear from their faces.
FINDINGS:-
The investigation team of the Lawyers For Human Rights International,
visited Village Hasanpur, on 21st September,1999 and during the
course of investigations met about hundred villagers and recorded
the statements of material witnesses and also talked to the three
victims, namely Sapinder Singh, Karnail Singh and Inderjit Singh
separately. Facts disclosed by the parents of the deceased were
also recorded. Joining all the facts and circumstances in a chain,
it hardly leaves any doubt that
- Devinder Singh, deceased was hale and hearty when he was picked
up by the Police party and he was subjected to inhuman third
degree torture in order to extort confession of possessing an
asssault rifle and was killed in Police Custody in the C.I.A.Staff,
Ropar. The cause of his death is evidently “Police torture”
whatever the post-mortem or viscera report of the deceased may
conclude.
- The four were kept in illegal detention for 48 hours beginning
4 a.m. on 18.9.1999 till 5 p.m. on 19.9.1999 and the F.I.R.
No.146 dated 18.9.1999 was subsequently recorded when Devinder
Singh died due to inhuman third degree torture. No other victim
was named in the said F.I.R. and the Police having failed to
justify the illegal detention of the three sought their discharge
before the Magistrate and admitted in its application filed
before Mrs.Neelam Arora, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar that no
recovery of any arm could be made from the three persons.
- Devinder Singh, deceased was brought dead in Civil Hospital,
Ropar by S.I.Malvinder Singh Malhi at about 8 p.m. on 18th September,1999.
While all the Senior Police officials and the District Administration
were aware of the Custodial Death, even on the night of 18 th
September, the parents of the deceased were intentionally not
informed of the death till 6 a.m. of 19.9.1999. Police tried
to destroy vital piece of evidence by concealing the actual
time of the death of the deceased. The genuinety of the Post-mortem
report is also questionable as the villagers saw many blue marks
of torture on the back of the deceased even with their naked
eyes. Big cut marks on the thighs of the deceased with blood
flowing from it were also noticed which does not find any mention
in the Post-mortem report. The cause of death has intentionally
been concealed in the Post-mortem report, so as to save the
Police officials and giving them ample opportunity to save them
from any action in accordance with law.
- The medical examination report of the three victims conducted
on 19th September,1999 at 4 p.m. in Civil Hospital, Kharar was
patently false and smacks of a deep rooted nexus between the
Local Police and the Medical officers of the Civil Hospital.
When the three victims could not even change their sides in
the cot even till today, how could it be imagined that their
condition was “OK” on 19th September,1999 at 4 p.m.
when they were in Police Custody and without any medical treatment
they were sent back ?
- No action whatsoever has been taken by the Police or the
District administration against the erring Police officers.
Inspector Didar Singh, SHO,P.S.Anandpur Sahib, Sub-Inspector
Malvinder Singh Malhi, Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa and
Inspector Sant Singh( Retd.) are primarily responsible for torturing
to death Devinder Singh and subjecting inhuman third degree
torture on all the above named three victims, in C.I.A.Staff,
Ropar.Inspector Didar Singh even admitted his involvement to
a member of the Investigation team on phone when he pleaded
“sorry” for the crime and asked them to keep low.
- The role of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, Ms.Neelam
Arora was also most improper and shady in the light of the fact
that she even did not take care in securing the presence of
a counsel at State expense to the three victims when they were
produced before her by the Police on 19.9.1999 at 5 p.m. She
acted in a most mechanical manner by accepting the medical reports
of the victims, even after witnessing the serious condition
of the three persons, when they could not even stand on their
feet.
- The parents of Devinder Singh, deceased are in a very pitiable
condition. Their economic condition is so bad that since 18th
September,1999 only a day’s meal is served to the other
family members, because their elder son Sapinder Singh who is
seriously injured due to Police torture, has to be served with
Milk every three hours as per doctors advice. The condition
of the family members of other three victims is no good. However,
the villagers and their relatives have been providing each and
every help these people want. Most of the people want that the
police officers responsible for killing Devinder Singh and torturing
three others, be handed over to them so that they may “take
the revenge” from them. Few others want the law to take
its own course and demand immediate arrest of all the police
officials responsible for the henious crime against humanity.
- The Police party had acted illegally and against the instructions
of District Administration in picking up the deceased Devinder
Singh and three others. A notification issued by the State of
Punjab makes it mandatory for the Police to go to the Village
Panchayat first if they want to arrest any villager from the
Village.In the present case, neither the Sarpanch nor any member
of Village Panchayat was informed before taking the deceased
or three persons to C.I.A. Staff, Ropar. As the deceased or
other victims had no previous criminal record, the Police were
not at all justified in adopting such inhuman method and subjected
them with third degree treatment. Investigations into the earlier
service record of the policemen involved in the crime, it has
been confirmed from official record that Sub-Inspector Malvinder
Singh Malhi is among those policemen of Punjab Police who were
awarded out-of-turn promotions for combating terrorism under
the Own Rank and Pay Scheme. He would have been reverted to
the post of a head constable, as per the policy of the State
Police decided recently. Strangely, Inspector Sant Singh according
to the investigation, is a retired Inspector known for his inhuman
techniques in extorting confessions from the accused persons.
Although he is not on the pay rolls of the Police department,
he has been made the incharge of the C.I.A. Staff, Ropar and
he is drawing the salary of two Special Police officers who
are nowhere in existence. His only job is to beat every person
brought to the C.I.A. staff and under the influence of liquor
he sometimes forgets that his prey is also a human being and
can not withstand such inhuman third degree torture. He was
also reportedly seen in the Police party by the villagers in
Hassanpur on 18.9.1999 at about 2 p.m. when Devinder Singh was
brought again to the village for recovery of the assault rifle.
Thus his role in the entire set of events raises a question
mark over the functioning of the Punjab Police. Even though
he figures as a main co-accused as per the true statement of
account by the three victims, his name nowhere finds mention
on the rolls of State Police.
- The First Information Report registered against Sub-Inspector
Malvinder Singh Malhi on 18.9.1999 is a bogus document and it
could certainly cause the aquittal of the accused. While all
other F.I.R.’s are registered on the Statement of the
complainant, this F.I.R. has been registered at the instance
of the accused and incorporating his explanation on the death
of the deceased. Shamefully, even the single policeman named
in the F.I.R. has neither been suspended nor arrested by the
Punjab Police. However, One police constable said to be involved
in the crime has surrendered before the police, but others including
the main accused are still at large and no appropriate efforts
are made to arrest them. The investigation team doubts if at
all any action would be taken against the erring Policemen by
the State of Punjab.
- The role of media in the entire incident was most appreciable
and it stood to the test of courage and kept the high traditions
of free and fair media.
RECOMMENDATIONS:-
- Judicial Inquiry must be done in the case to be conducted
by a judicial officer not below the rank of Sessions Judge in
order to fix responsibility on the police officers who gave
the fatal third degree treatament which caused the death of
the deceased Devinder Singh.
- The medical treatment of the three victims must be done at
State expense and an interim compensation of Rs. 3 lacs should
be paid to the next of kin of the deceased Devinder Singh alias
Bhola.
- Departmental action against the doctors of Civil Hospital,
Kharar and Civil Hospital,Ropar must be taken for giving false
medical reports of the victims and Post-mortem report of the
deceased Devinder Singh.
- The State Chief Minister,Mr.Parkash Singh Badal must accept
moral responsibility for the irreparable loss caused to the
bereaved family.
- The guilty police officials namely Inspector Didar Singh,
S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib, Sub-Inspector Malvinder
Singh Malhi, Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa and Sant Singh,
retired Inspector should be immediately booked for Custodial
death of Devinder Singh and punished in accordance with the
procedure established by law.
- Similarly these set of police officers should also be booked
for illegal detention and for subjecting the injured victims,
Sapinder Singh, Inderjit Singh and Karnail Singh to third degree
torture.
No political party, whether ruling or opposition in the State
has shown courage to share the grief of the villagers and except
severe condemnation from the various human rights organisations,
including Lawyers For Human Rights and Punjab Human Rights Organisation
and highlighted by the media. No political leader or party has
joined the people’s movement against this heinous crime.
In plain words, it is an insult to the injury and the inaction
of the Punjab Police in dealing with this case has once again
brought it into the dock. The apprehensions of human rights activists
that the Punjab Police is trying to jack-boot innocent people
and kill them by branding them as “terrorists” and
it would not be surprising if the militancy may once again strike
the State at the cost of the hard won peace in this part of the
country. The corrupt and indifferent policy of the State Government
and the atrocities committed by the Punjab Police on innocent
people are only to be blamed if such a situation comes.
To sum up, no words could express the grief and sorrow of the
villagers of Hasanpur and nothing short of life imprisonment to
all the above named policemen and suitable compensation to the
next of the kin of the deceased Devinder Singh and other three
victims could meet the ends of justice. It is high time that the
State Government and the Punjab Police must realise that if such
incidents of Police highhanded ness go unchecked, it will certainly
bring resentment and annoyance among the common citizenry at the
cost of public peace.
We conclude this report with heavy heart, reminding the disconcerting
note sounded by Abraham Lincoln,
“ If you once forfeit the confidence of our fellow citizens
you
can never regain their respect and esteem.
It is true that you can fool all the people some of the time
and some of the people all the time,
but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Action taken by LHRI
The copies of the above report were sent to the Punjab State Human
Rights Commission and Punjab & Haryana High Court, besides
concerned police authorities. Our organisation provided free legal
aid to the victims before the Punjab & Haryana High Court
and Punjab State Human Rights Commission in opposing the bail
applications of the accused police officials. While the Punjab
State Human Rights Commission awarded an interim compensation
to the tune of Rs.2.5 lacs to the father of the victim Devinder
Singh(deceased) and Rs.30,000/- each to the injured victims, the
Sessions Judge, Ropar after trying four police officials for causing
the death of Devinder Singh in police custody, sentenced three
policemen to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5000/- each, but
acquitted Inspector Didar Singh, the then Station House Officer
of Police Station, Anandpur Sahib.
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