Systematic torture as well as extra-judicial killings and some disappearances from police custody continue to be reported in Punjab. This Indian state where armed opposition groups are demanding an independent Sikh state (Khalistan) has been under direct rule from the union government in New Delhi since May 1987. Sikh groups have been responsible for politically motivated killings of hundreds of police members of the security forces and civilians. The security forces have persistently been accused of executing political activists in staged encounters even after the government announced in April 1990 that a 30 August 1989 police order offering awards for the liquidation of terrorists had been withdrawn.

Several thousand people are estimated to be detained in Punjab. Important legal safeguards to protect detainees have been suspended or weakened under preventive detention laws and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. In other cases safeguards are simply ignored and people are arbitrarily detained Unacknowledged and incommunicado detention sometimes at secret locations has facilitated a pattern of torture and police have sometimes flaunted High Court orders to trace disappeared detainees.

Women have been increasingly subjected to ill-treatment and torture. Gurmeet Kaur and Gurdev Kaur were tortured in August 1989 during interrogation about their husbands where about. They were beaten and had wooden bars rolled up and down their legs. Other common methods of torture include forcing the legs apart to cause pelvic injury and hanging people from the ceiling upside-down. Electric shocks have also been used.

Political prisoners have allegedly been killed while in police custody. Such cases are difficult to investigate as police officials often deny knowledge of arrests or claim that a person escaped or died in encounters with the police.

Many disappearances remain unresolved Baldev Singh for example was only 15 years old when arrested in October 1988. Although his twin brother was released relatives have been unable to establish Baldev Singh’s fate or whereabouts. In August 1990 relatives wrote to Al asking for assistance in tracing him.

Human rights abuses were widespread in Punjab under the Congress government and continued under the National Front coalition government. Al is calling on the new government in India to half human rights violations and investigates past abuses.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> March 8, 1991