CUSTODIAL DEATHS IN PUNJAB
1997-2001
In India where rule of law is inherent in each and every action
and right to life and liberty is prized fundamental right adorning
highest place amongst all important fundamental rights, instances
of torture and using third degree methods upon suspects during
illegal detention and police remand have become quite common.
Use of excessive force and exceeding lawful authority by police
usually causes custodial death. If torture of a suspect during
police custody is a crime, causing death by beating in police
custody is even more heinous crime and a most deplorable act.
Custodial death is perhaps one of the worst crimes in a civilized
society governed by the Rule of Law. The rights inherent in Article
21 and 22(I) of the Constitution of India require to be zealously
and scrupulously protected. The sad part of the story is that
the force which is supposed to protect the life and liberty of
the citizen when behaves inhumanly and perpetrate crime it encourage
lawlessness and breeds contempt for law.
Custodial violence is indeed a matter of great concern. Thinking
of the pain and trauma that a victim suffers due to torture, the
protection of his life and liberty from such inhuman treatment
becomes the most sacred duty of every organ of justice delivery
system. In custodial crimes, not only the infliction of body pain
is worrisome, but also the trauma and mental agony which a person
undergoes within the four walls of police station or lock-up.
Whether it is third degree torture or death in police custody,
the extent of loss caused to the humanity is beyond the purview
of law. Repeated incidents of Custody deaths in the country have
not only shaken the people’s conscience, forcing them to
take to the street against the inhuman torture techniques adopted
by the police, but has also highlighted the hostile attitude of
law enforcing agencies in containing such heinous crime against
the humanity. Custodial violence including torture, death and
staged encounter, strikes a blow at the Rule of Law, which demands
that the powers of the executive should not only be derived from
law but also that the same should be limited by law. Inspite of
clear prohibition in law from subjecting third degree torture
upon any person, complaints regarding custodial torture and deaths
in police custody or fake encounters are flooded in the Supreme
Court and various High Courts including the National Human Rights
Commission and State Human Rights Commissions across the country.
According to a statement placed in the Lok Sabha in 2000, more
than seven hundred and ninety persons have lost their lives in
police custody in the country. Unofficial figures even go upto
five figures. Showing deep concern over the increasing tendency
among the police officials in subjecting third degree torture
upon the suspect resulting in the custodial death of the suspect
and the suppression of such occurrences by the erring cops, the
National Human Rights Commission issued strict directions to all
the State governments and Union territories in 1993 as under:-
“ In view of the rising number of incidents of custodial
deaths and custodial rapes and reported attempts to suppress or
present a different picture of these incidents with the lapse
of time, the commission directs to all the District Magistrates
and Superintendents of Police of every district in the country
that they should report to the Secretary General of the National
Human Rights Commission about such incidents within 24 hours of
such occurrence or of these officers having come to know about
such incidents. Failure to report promptly would give rise to
presumption that there was an attempt to suppress the incident.”
In forgotten corners of dusty police stations lathi and roller
continue to make harsh contact with flesh and bone. So secretly
is this done, so discreetly, that the democratic nation which
houses these modest citadels of terror can continue to believe
that it is indeed a democracy. Experience shows that worst violations
of human rights take place during the course of investigation.
When the police with a view to secure evidence or confession often
resort to third degree methods including torture and adopts techniques
of screening arrest by either not recording the arrest or describing
the deprivation of liberty merely as a prolonged interrogation.
Their acts of commission, corruption and barbaric methods of torture,
kidnapping and ransom, fake encounters, eliminations and custodial
deaths etc. put to shame any civilized society. When corruption
and greed intermingle in such a state of affairs, many of the
actions of the men in uniform take the form of contract killing,
extortion etc. This also includes taking possession of valuables
or property, terrorising the public to discourage possible witnesses
etc. all in the name of fighting the outlaws. When the Policeman
transgress the very law he fights to restore, what follows is,
revultion, revenge and further alienation. State terrorism can
never take the place of armed conflict by certain groups of terrorists
in any civilized society. State terrorism is no answer to combat
terrorism. State terrorism would only provide legitimacy to “terrorism”.
That would be bad for the State, the community and above all for
the Rule of Law. What is at stake here is the very definition
of what constitutes humanity.
If you have ever been the victim of Police torture the term
“torture” is enough to make your backbone straight
for the trauma of such inhuman act leave a trail of mental disorders
throughout the lifetime. Article 1 of the Convention against Torture
and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading treatment or punishment,
defines torture as “any act by which severe pain or suffering,
whether physical or mental is intentionally inflicted on a person
for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person formation
or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person
has committed or is suspected of having committed or intimidated
or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on
discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted
by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence
of a public official or that person acting in official capacity.”
The Article 4 of the Convention says, “each state party
shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its Criminal
Law. ”
Justice S. Mohan of Supreme Court of India speaking for the bench
in the case of “Arvinder S. Bagga Vs. State of U.P.”
aptly observed, “Torture is not merely physical, there may
be mental torture and psychological torture calculated to create
fright and submission to the demands or commands. When the threats
proceed from a person in authority and that too by a police officer,
the mental torture caused by it is even more grave.”
Justice Kuldip Singh and Justice Dr. A.S. Anand, the pillars
of Human Rights movement in India observed in the landmark Judgment
on Custodial crimes, titled “D.K.Basu Vs. State of West
Bengal that “Custodial violence, including torture and death
in the lock ups, strikes a blow at the Rule of Law, which demands
that the powers of the executive should not only be derived from
law but also that the same should be limited by law. Custodial
Violence is a matter of concern. It is aggravated by the fact
that it is committed by persons who are supposed to be the protectors
of the citizens. It is committed under the shield of uniform and
authority in the four walls of a police station or lock-up, the
victim being totally helpless. The Protection of an individual
from torture and abuse by the police and other law enforcing officers
is a matter of deep concern in a free society. “Torture
“ of a human being by another human being is essentially
an instrument to impose the will of the “strong” over
the “Weak” by suffering. The word “torture”
today has become synonymous with the darker side of human civilization.
It is a calculated assault on human dignity and whenever human
dignity is wounded, civilization takes a step backward—flag
of humanity must on each such occasion fly half-mast. In all custodial
crimes what is of real concern is not only infliction of body
pain but also the mental agony which a person undergoes within
the four walls of police station or lock-up. Whether it is physical
assault or rape in police custody, the extent of trauma, person
experiences is beyond the purview of law.” He further observed
in another judgment on human rights dealing with the effect of
torture in the mind of common citizen, titled “ State of
M.P. Vs. Shayamsunder Trivedi and others” and held that
“tortures in police custody, which of late are on the increase,
receive encouragement by this type of an unrealistic approach
of the courts because it reinforces the belief in the mind of
the police that no harm would come to them, if an odd prisoner
dies in the lock-up, because there would hardly be any evidence
available to the prosecution to directly implicate them within
the torture. Torture in custody flouts the basic rights of the
citizens recognized by the Indian Constitution and is an affront
to human dignity. Police excesses and the mal-treatment of detainees
/undertrial prisoners or suspects tarnishes the image of any civilized
nation and encourages the men in “Khaki” to consider
themselves to be above the law and sometimes even to become law
unto themselves.”
Historian Badriana P. Bartow also explained the trauma of torture
in his own words,” Torture is a wound in the soul so painful
that sometimes you can almost touch it, but it is also so intangible
that there is no way to heal it. Torture is anguish squeezing
in your chest, cold as ice and heavy as a stone paralyzing as
sleep and dark as the abyss. Torture is despair and fear and rage
and hate. It is a desire to kill and destroy including yourself.
”
The temple of Justice, as he is known, Mr. Justice V.R.Krishna
Iyer the then Chief Justice of Supreme Court, dwelled in detail
the evil of torture in a case titled “ Raghubir Singh Vs.
State of Haryana” and observed, “we are really pained
to note that such things should happen in a country which is still
governed by the Rule of Law. We cannot but express our strong
displeasure and disapproval of the conduct of the concerned police
officers. We are deeply disturbed by the diabolical recurrence
of police torture resulting in terrible scare in the minds of
common citizens that they are under a new peril which the guardians
of the law gore human rights to death. The vulnerability of human
rights assumes a traumatic, torture some poignancy when the violent
violation is perpetrated by the police arm of the State whose
function is to protect the citizen and not to commit gruesome
offences against them as has happened in this case. Police lock-up
if reports in newspapers have a streak of credence, are becoming
more and more awesome cells. This development is disastrous to
our human rights awareness and humanist constitutional order.”
Dr. Martin Luther King (Jr.) in a letter to his country men
once wrote, “Injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere.
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in
a single garment of density. Whatever affects one directly affects
all indirectly.” In a similar tone, the famous legal luminary
Blaise Pascal also said “Justice without power is inefficient;
power without justice is tyranny……. Justice and power
must therefore be brought together, so that whatever is just may
be powerful and whatever is powerful may be just.” Custodial
violence and abuse of power by the police is not only peculiar
to this country, but it is widespread. It has also been the concern
of international community because the problem is universal and
the challenge is almost global. The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights in 1948, which marked the emergence of a worldwide trend
of Protection and guarantee of certain basic human rights, stipulates
in Article 5 that “ No one shall be subjected to torture,
or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Despite
the pious declaration, the crime continues unabated, though every
civilized nation shows its concern and takes steps for its eradication.
In England, torture was one regarded as a normal practice to get
information regarding the crime, the accomplices and the case
property or to extract confessions, but with the development of
common law and more radical ideas imbibing human though and approach,
such inhuman practices were initially discouraged and eventually
almost done away with, certain aberrations here and there notwithstanding.
However, inspite of the constitutional and statutory provisions
aimed at safeguarding the personal liberty and life of a citizen,
growing incidents of torture and deaths in police custody has
been a disturbing factor.
The third report of the National Police Commission in India expressed
deep concern at the increasing incidents of custodial violence
and lock-up deaths. It took serious note of the demoralizing effect
which custodial torture was creating on the society as a whole.
The Protection of the individual from oppression and abuse by
the police and other enforcing officers is indeed a major interest
in a free society; but so is the effective prosecution of crime,
an interest which at times seems to be forgotten. The quality
of a nation’s civilization can be largely measured by the
methods it uses in the enforcement of criminal law.
We cannot whisk away the problem . Any form of torture or cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment would fall within the inhibition
of Article 21 of the Constitution whether it occurs during investigation,
interrogation or otherwise. If the functionaries of the government
become lawbreakers, it is bound to breed contempt for law and
would encourage lawlessness and every man would have the tendency
to become law unto himself thereby leading to anarchism. No civilized
nation can permit that to happen. Does a citizen shed off his
fundamental right to life, the moment a policeman arrests him
? Can the right to life of a citizen be put in abeyance on his
arrest ? These questions touch the spinal cord of human rights
jurisprudence. The answer indeed, has to be an emphatic “No”.
It is an obligation of the State to ensure that there is no infringement
of the indefeasible rights of a citizen to life, except in accordance
with law, while the citizen is in its custody. The precarious
right guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India cannot
be denied to convicts, undertrials or other prisoners in custody,
except according to procedure established by law. There is a great
responsibility on the police or prison authorizes to ensure that
the citizen in its custody is not deprived of his right to life.
His liberty is in the very nature of things circumscribed by the
very fact of his confinement and therefore his interest in the
limited liberty left to him is rather precarious. The duty of
care on the part of the State is strict and admits of no exceptions.
The wrongdoer is accountable and the State is responsible if the
person in custody of the police is deprived of his life except
according to the procedure established by law.
It is often seen that when a complaint is made against torture,
death or injury in police custody, it is difficult to secure evidence
against the policemen responsible for resorting to third degree
methods since they are in charge of police stations easily manipulate
the record and tamper with the evidence. The trial court and the
high Court, if we may say so with respect, exhibits a total lack
of sensitivity and a “could not careless” attitude
in appreciating the evidence on the record and thereby condoning
the barbarous third degree methods which are still being used,
at every police station, despite being illegal. The exaggerated
adherence to and insistence upon the establishment of proof beyond
every reasonable doubt, by the prosecution, ignoring the ground
realities, the fact situations and the peculiar circumstances
of a given case, often results in miscarriage of justice and makes
the justice delivery system a farce. In the ultimate analysis,
it is only the society that suffers. It needs no emphasis to say
that when the crime goes unpunished the criminals are encouraged.
The courts must also bring a change in their outlook and attitude
particularly in cases involving custodial crimes and should exhibit
more sensitivity and a realistic rather than a narrow technical
approach, while dealing with such cases, so that as far as possible
within their powers, the guilty must not escape and that the victim
of the crime has the satisfaction that ultimately the majesty
of law has prevailed, failing which the victim becomes frustrated
and contempt for law develops. Police is no doubt, under a legal
duty and has legitimate right to arrest a criminal and to interrogate
him during the investigation of an offence but the law does not
permit use of third degree methods or torture of accused in custody
during interrogation and investigation with a view to solve the
crime. End cannot justify the means. By torturing a person and
using third degree methods, the police would be accomplishing
behind the closed doors what the demand of our legal order forbid.
No society can permit it. The action of the State, however, must
be “right , just and fair”. Using any form of torture
for extracting any kind of information would neither be “right,
nor just nor fair” and therefore, would be impermissible,
being offensive of Article 21.
For the last many years, the State of Punjab is reeling under
the sordid situation where battle like conditions prevailed and
gun-battles were going on between the security forces and armed
rebels(Sikhs). It started with the political problem, but assumed
un- seeming proportions with every organ of the State failing
to ensure law and order. The Police has become man-eater and resorting
to extra-judicial methods in eleminating whosoever they suspect
to be a rebel. There is an un-declared curb on raising voice by
the masses. Even the women and children are not spared. They are
beaten, tortured and even killed publicly by the devils in khai,
still the judiciary in the country watch these gory incidents
with unwarranted calm and turns a blind eye to the police excesses.
It is often said that the period of turbulence is over in Punjab
and rule of law has been restored by the Shromani Akali Dal-Bhartiya
Janata Party alliance led government. But figures disclaim this
theory. More than seventy five reported custodial deaths in four
years and a thousand reported incidents of custodial tortures
of innocent people, casts a slur on the law enforcing machinery
in the State. It will be our endeavour through this book to explore
as to how far the State government and its law enforcing agencies
have cared for the fundamental right to life and liberty of its
subjects and respected their human rights. Here is a fact finding
report by the organisation which needs pointing attention of every
law abiding person and human rights activists around the globe.
The tall claims of the Punjab government of restoration of rule
of law have proved a farce with custodial crime becoming an order
of the day. Policemen still consider themselves above the law.
They have no fear of law or the Court. They know that they will
be exonerated in the name of national security or maintenance
of law and order. Their mindset is the same as it was during the
earlier days of State terrorism. Their actions are the same. Rather,
their authority has become more powerful with no action against
their illegal actions. Under these circumstances, can any saner
element boast of Punjab’s situation as peaceful?
During the dark days of State brutality in Punjab at its helm,
people were less afraid of the satan than of a policeman. It was
this fear and frustration, which routed the inhuman Congress government
and offered an opportunity to the largest Sikh political party
in the state, Shromani Akali Dal to end the Police Raj and establish
rule of law. But even after four years of the so-called popular
rule in the State, the situation has not changed a wee bit. When
more than seventy people have lost their lives in Police custody
since the Akali government came into power, it would be great
folly to call it a State ruled by law? Where the government is
under bounden duty to protect the life and liberty of every citizen,
loss of even a single life in Police Custody certainly casts a
blur on the government, lest every organ of justice delivery system
should bow down in shame. The moot question that arises is that
how the situation has been mis-handled that it has became so serious
that every person is feeling insecure and prone to police brutality?
Is it not a failure of the government where the police force has
turned man-eater and the courts and the elected representatives
of the people have closed its eyes and ears? The answer to all
these questions must be emphatically “betrayal of the oath”.
It is an abysmal state of affairs in Punjab. Not only the government
has failed to check its brutal force, but the judiciary or the
human rights agencies have miserably failed to show its existence.
It seems to be a matter of the past now that the judges were moved
on reading the heart rending news of torture deaths in the morning
day newspaper and took suo-moto cognizance of the matter. They
also do not feel concerned today on learning that innocent people
are being killed like animals. One wonders if they would feel
disturbed on hearing the wails of torture victims in the Police
stations in Punjab. Every Court granting police remand of a suspect
fully knows that he is going to be given inhuman third degree
treatment. It is their folly to believe that only third degree
treatment could extract the truth from the suspect. It is no secret
that the first thing a policeman does with the suspect in police
remand is to give good bashing and then tell his fault. The title
page of this book clearly exhibits the mindset of the police force
in the state even today.
The study of recent cases of people being killed in Police custody
and in the prisons have given a clear message that whosoever is
taken into custody by police is sure to loose his life, lest he
is too hard to bear the police torture, no matter, whether he
is innocent or too poor to bribe the policemen. Punjab Police,
known for its fake encounters, custodial deaths and other heinous
crimes, received a big blow when the encounter theory of killing
a youth, Kashmir Singh of Pandori Rukman in Hoshiarpur district
on 14th March, 1997 came out to be a cold blooded murder. Even
the Sessions Court, Hoshiarpur convicted the police party and
sentenced them to life imprisonment for the offence of murder.
National Human Rights Commission, also awarded a compensation
of Rupees five lacs to the next of kin of the deceased. Similarly,
the tale of torture methods described by the brother of Devinder
Singh alias Bhola, a youth of village Hassanpur in Ropar district
who was tortured to death on September 18, 1999 shook the state
with grief. The accused policemen have recently been sentenced
to life imprisonment for the custodial death. Many victims of
police brutality have even gone un-noticed. What was the fault
of Iqbal Singh of Jaitu in Faridkot when he was picked up by the
Muktsar police on January 5,2001 and was so badly tortured that
he died in the lock-up? But the police is so hardened liar that
it claimed that the victim had committed suicide by hanging himself
in the bathroom of the lock-up. Similar story was cooked up by
the Police in the case of Surinder Pal who died in Police Station
Dasuya in District Hoshiarpur on 7th January, 2001. The same day
Avtar Singh, a youth of Ludhiana was shot dead by a militant turned
Police Inspector Gurmeet Singh Pinky in Ludhiana because he objected
to their drinking session at a public place. Is the life of these
victims so valueless that the State government or the Police authorities
could not afford to pay ex-gratia compensation to the next of
the kin of the deceased killed by the Policemen ? The tragedy
does not end here. Exactly a month later in 2001, Jaspal Singh,
a 17 year old Dalit youth of Village Saheri in District Ropar
fell to the torture methods of Punjab police and died in Police
Station Morinda on 7th February, 2001. To add insult to the injury,
every organ of administration including the civil and police administration
in the district tried their level best to save their policemen
who were responsible for the tragic death. The courts also showed
little concern at this dastardly act. Another dalit youth, Madan
Lal of Kapurthala was tortured to death in Police Station Kapurthala
on 15th February, 2001.
One thing quite similar in all these incidents was that the police
authorities and district administration failed to take necessary
action against the guilty persons, unless the masses came to the
street and protested by laying road blockade, dharna and even
gherao the police station. In other words, the public outcries
and street protests played an important role for forcing the authorities
to take strict action against the erring cops.
Nothing could be more better conclusion of this topic than the
words of 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. ”
LIST OF CUSTODIAL DEATHS IN PUNJAB W.E.F. JANUARY 1997- TILL
AUGUST, 2001
1997
1. March 14, 1997: Kashmir Singh, a Youth of village Pandori
Rukman near Hoshiarpur, was abducted from his house in the village
alongwith his father Ajit Singh by a police party headed by
Sub-Inspector Gulzar Chand, SHO of Police Station Taran Taran(City)
and after dropping his father, killed him in fake encounter.
Later on the Sessions Court at Hoshiarpur held it to be a fake
encounter and sentenced the accused policemen to life imprisonment
for the dastardly act. Similarly, the National Human Rights
Commission awarded a compensation of Rupees five lac to the
next of kin of the deceased.
2. April 7, 1997: Paramjit Singh, son of Pritam Singh died
in Police Custody of P.S.Dakha, Ludhiana.
3. April 17, 1997: Ravi Kumar Verma, a migrant labourer of
Ludhiana died in Police custody of P.S.Division No.4, Ludhiana.
4. May 28,1997: Jagsir Singh(25), a resident of village Bilaspur,
District Faridkot died due to Police torture in P.S.Bilaspur.
5. June 30, 1997: Narinder Singh(18), a resident of village
Fetahpur, District Amritsar was beaten to death by the police
of P.S.Amritsar.
6. July 20, 1997: Jaggar Singh of Kotduna village in District
Sangrur, died in Police Custody of P.S.Dhanaula, District Sangrur.
7. July 21, 1997: Baljeet Singh (24) son of Nahar Singh, a
resident of village Burj Dhilwan, District Bathinda was killed
in Police Custody of Police Station Maur, District Bathinda.
8. August 15, 1997: Satnam Singh alias Satti, a resident of
Jalandhar district, died in Police custody of P.S. Adampur.
9. August 30, 1997: Pala Singh, son of Gurcharan Singh, a resident
of village Bhai Bakhtaur, District Bathinda was killed in Police
Station Kot Fatta, Distt.Bathinda. He allegedly by consuming
poison kept in the Police Station. The Punjab State Human Rights
Commission awarded an interim compensation of Rupees fifty thousand
to the next of kin of the deceased.
10. September 1, 1997: Jagan Nath alias Jagnoo son of Ranjha
Ram, a resident of village Pasla in Jalandhar district was killed
in Police custody of P.S. Guraya, Distt. Jalandhar. Painfully,
the Punjab Human Rights Commission, dismissed the complaint
into his death for no valid reasons.
11. September 5, 1997: Sham Lal son of Banta Singh, a resident
of village Ajnali, District Fatehgarh Sahib was beaten to death
by a police party of P.S. Gobindgarh. Ironically, this Complaint
also met the same fate in the Punjab State Human Rights Commission.
12. September 12, 1997: Babu Ram(25), a resident of Malerkotla
was killed in Police Custody of P.S. Ahmedgarh, District Malerkotla.
13. September 21, 1997: Kala Singh, a resident of village Shadipur
Mommian, District Patiala was killed in police custody of P.S.Patran,
District Patiala.
14. October 3, 1997: Manfool Ram, a dalit of village Dakha,
District Ludhiana died in Police custody of P.S.Mullanpur Dakha,
District Ludhiana.
15. October 24, 1997: Bhagwan Singh,(35 ) a resident of village
Jhuge Lal Singh, District Fazilka died in Police custody of
P.S. Fazilka (Sadar).
16. October 26,1997: Bhola Singh, a resident of village Matti
in District Mansa died in Police custody of P.S. Mansa.
1998
17. April 7, 1998: Paramjit Singh, son of Pritam Singh, a resident
of Ludhiana died in police custody of Ludhiana police.
18. April 25, 1998: Dr.Om Parkash Jail, an eye-specialist of
Ludhiana died of heart attack due to Police beating at his residence
by an Assistant Police Inspector of CIA Staff, Moga.
19. August 22, 1998: Karnail Singh(60), a resident of village
Jagatpura in District Taran Taran died due to beating by policemen
in P.S. Chabal, Taran Taran.
1999
20. January 26, 1999: Jasbir Khan(25), a resident of village
Sohana, District Ropar was beaten to death in Police custody
of P.S.Sohana.
21. August 15, 1999: Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha (35), a resident
of village Ratoke in District Taran Taran was killed in police
custody of P.S.Sarhali, District Taran Taran.
22. September 18, 1999: Devinder Singh alias Bhola(21), a resident
of village Hassanpur in District Ropar was tortured to death
by policemen of CIA Staff, Ropar The three policemen responsible
for the gruesome killing have been sentenced to life imprisonment
by the Sessions Judge, Ropar.
23. September 26,1999: Jagdish Rai Jain(49) a resident of Bathinda
died in Police Custody of P.S. Paras Ram Nagar, Bathinda.
24. December 11,1999: Gurbhej Singh(21), a resident of Amritsar
died in police custody of P.S.Amrtisar.
2000
25.January 4, 2000: Gurdev Singh(42), resident of village Uggi,
District Jalandhar was beaten to death in police custody at
P.P. Uggi, Distt. Jalandhar.
26.January 11, 2000: Hargobind Singh, a resident of Sirsa died
in Police custody at P.S. Tapa, District Barnala. The National
Human Rights Commission has awarded a sum of Rupees five lac
as interim compensation to the next of kin of the deceased,
while the Punjab State Human Rights Commission failed to take
cognizance of the incident, inspite of being approached by the
aggrieved party.
27.April 23, 2000: Ram Kumar, son of Sadhu, a resident of Ludhiana
died in Police Custody of CIA staff, Sirhind, Distt.Fatehgarh
Sahib. Painfully, the complaint seeking inquiry into the tragic
death was dismissed by the Punjab State Human Rights Commission
and adding insult to the injury, refused by the Punjab &
Haryana High Court.
28.April 29, 2000: Dalbir Singh(40), a resident of Jalandhar
was shot dead in Police custody at P.P.Maqsoodan, District Jalandhar.
29. July 15, 2000: Budh Singh(35), a resident of village Dargapur
in District Taran Taran died in police custody of P.S.Naushehra
Pannuan, District Taran Taran.
30. July 15 and 16, 2000: Bagga Singh, a resident of Naushehra
Pannuan was tortured to death in Police custody of P.S.Naushehra
Pannuan, Distt.Amritsar.
31. August 23, 2000: Sonu(18), son of Hira Lal, a dalit labourer
of Abohar was tortured to death in Police custody of P.S.Abohar.
32. September 2, 2000: Balbir Singh(23), a resident of Sangrur
was killed in Police custody of P.S. Sangrur.
33. September 9, 2000: Chuhar Singh, a resident of village
Gogon in District Hoshiarpur died in Police custody in P.S.
Mahilpur, District Hoshiarpur.
34. October 13, 2000: Raju, a dalit youth of Ludhiana was beaten
to death in Police Custody of CIA Staff, Ludhiana.
35. December 2, 2000: Sarwan Singh(35), a resident of village
Bootan in District Kapurthala died in Police Custody of P.S.
Subhanpur.
36. December 14,2000: Gurdev Singh, a resident of village Samana
in District Patiala
was beaten to death in P.S. Samana, Distt. Patiala.
37. December 28, 2000: Pawan Kumar, a dalit youth aged 27 years,
resident of Hoshiarpur died in Police Custody of P.S. Model
Town, Hoshiarpur.
2001
38. January 5, 2001: Iqbal Singh(35), died in Police custody
at P.S. Muktsar. The Police called it a suicide death, while
people alleged it to be a custodial death.
39. January 7, 2001: Surinder Pal, a resident of Batala in
Distt. Gurdaspur was killed in Police Custody. He was picked
up by Hoshiarpur police and brought to Dasuya Police
Station in Hoshiarpur and tortured due to which he died. The
Police said that he committed suicide by hanging in the police
lock-up. No One has been arrested so far.
40.January 7, 2001: Avtar Singh, a youth of Ludhiana was shot
dead by Inspector Gurmeet Singh Pinky of Punjab Police under
the influence of liquor for over a small issue of giving passage
to pass through the street where the Police Inspector had his
house.
41.February 7, 2001: A poor Dalit Youth, Jaspal Singh of village
Saheri in P.S. Morinda, Distt. Ropar died in Police custody
at Morinda Police Station.
42. February 15, 2001: A Scheduled Caste Youth, Madan Lal,
aged 32, died in Police Custody in Police Station Kapurthala.
43. February 19, 2001: A poor mason Rakhdev, hailing from Uttar
Pradesh was killed in a Police encounter at Ludhiana.
44. March 6, 2001: A dalit youth, Maninderjit Singh(19), resident
of village Kohali, District Amritsar was beaten to death by
the police.
45. March 27, 2001: Nahar Singh, a 35 year old dalit youth
died in Police Custody at P.S. Khanna, Distt.Ludhiana.
46. May 2, 2001: Karnail Singh(50), a resident of Haibowal,
Distt.Ludhiana was thrashed to death by the police in P.S.Haibowal,
Ludhiana.
47. June 2, 2001: Kulwinder Singh(20), son of Amarjit Singh,
a resident of village
Kokari Kalan, District Moga, was beaten to death in P.S.Mehan
Kalan, Jagraon,
Distt. Moga.
LIST OF PRISON DEATHS IN PUNJAB
w.e.f. JANUARY 1997-TILL JUNE, 2001:
1997
1. January 13, 1997: An Undertrial, Vijay Kumar, died in District
Jail, Kapurthala.
2. February 14, 1997: An Undertrial, Ranjit Singh hanged himself
in Central Jail, Sangrur.
3. August 14-15, 1997: Amrit Singh (45), an undertrial died
in Central Jail, Jalandhar.
4. October, 1997: Natha Singh, a daily wage labourer of Sangrur
died in at District Jail, Sangrur.
5. November, 1997: Tirath Singh son of Narinder Singh Kler,
a resident of village Kler, District Amritsar died in Amritsar
jail.
6 . December 13, 1997: Hukam Chand, an undertrial, died in Central
Jail, Patiala.
1998
7. April 7,1998: Rajinder Singh, an undertrial died in the
Central Jail,Patiala.
8. April 25, 1998: Gurjet Singh, an undertrial died in Central
Jail, Patiala.
9. May 12, 1998: Sunil Kumar Munjal, a resident of Abohar died
in Central Jail, Ferozepur.
10. July 23, 1998: Bhil Ram, an undertrial and a resident of
Ludhiana died in Central Jail, Ludhiana.
11. August 27,1998: Tarlok Singh, an undertrial lodged in Central
Jail, Gurdaspur allegedly committed suicide in the jail.
12. September 27, 1998: Surinder Dass, an undertrial allegedly
committed suicide in Central Jail, Patiala.
13. October 1, 1998: Kulwant Singh (55), an undertrial, died
in Central Jail, Patiala.
1999
14. May 18, 1999: Malkiat Singh, an undertrial, died in Central
Jail, Patiala.
15. December 12, 1999: Joginder Singh, a resident of village
Kaler Kalan, District Gurdaspur died in Central Jail, Gurdaspur.
2000
16. February 13, 2000: Sangram Singh(40), an undertrial lodged
in Central Jail, Amritsar died in the jail.
17. February 21, 2000: Joginder Ram, an undertrial, died in
Bathinda Central Jail.
18. April 6, 2000: Kirpal Singh(35), convict lodged in Central
Jail, Patiala died due to TB in the jail.
19. April 9, 2000: Parvinder Singh(30), an undertrial lodged
in Central Jail, Patiala died in the jail.
20. April 12, 2000: Surinder Singh(50), a resident of village
Khankhana in Nawanshehar who was undergoing ten years imprisonment
inCentral Jail, Patiala died in the jail.
20. April 22, 2000: Raj Singh, a convict died in Central Jail,
Bathinda.
21. May, 2000: Darshan Singh, a convict died in Central Jail,
Jalandhar.
22. May 25, 2000: Dalip Singh(50) son of Ranjit Singh, a resident
of village Mithubasti in Jalandhar district died in Central
Jail, Jalandhar.
23. August 31, 2000: Pheera Singh(53), an undertrial lodged
in Central Jail, Ludhiana died in the jail.
24. October 31, 2000: Gora Masih, son of Sohni Masih, a resident
of village Sanehia in Batala District and loged in Central Jail,
Gurdaspur died due to TB.
25. November 1, 2000: Surinder Singh, an undertrial lodged
in Central Jail, Gurdaspur, died in the jail.
26. December 12, 2000: Joginder Singh(85), an undertrial lodged
in Central Jail, Gurdaspur, died in the jail due to non-provision
of timely medical aid.
2001
26. January 1, 2001: Jagdish Singh, an undertrial, died under
mysterious circumstances in Central Jail,Bathinda.
27. January 7, 2001: Ranjodh Singh(35), an undertrial, died
while in Police custody of
Muktsar police. According to Police, when he was being taken
for production in
court, he complained of chest pain and soon thereafter he died.
But the inmates of
Muktsar jail says that the victim was hale and hearty when taken
out and he was
beaten to death in police custody.
28. February 2, 2001: A Pakistan prisoner, Farookh was killed
in Amritsar Central
jail by other inmates. No case has been registered except transferring
three lower
class employees of the jail.
29. March 13, 2001 :A life convict Pardeep Singh alias Deepa
(27), was found dead in Central Jail, Patiala.
30. May 25, 2001: Gurnam Singh, an undertrial lodged in District
Jail, Kapurthala died in the jail.
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