CHANDIGARH: The police have let loose a reign of terror in the city’s satellite town of Mohali allegedly with the active involvement of the Chandigarh SSP Sumedh Saini.

Families of suspected harborers of militants have been intimidated with threats and torture since a police post in the city was attacked recently. A Home Guard jawan was killed and three persons including two policemen injured in the incident.

A 62-yr-old riot-affected migrant from Calcutta Karam Singh his wife Satwant Kaur and their two sons aged 18 and 14 have been repeatedly beaten up by the police. Their 18-yr-old son Avtar is languishing in police custody.

Karam Singh migrated to Punjab in 1986 after staying in Calcutta for 26 years. His wife Satwant Kaur is an aunt of Manjit Singh president of an AISSF faction.

IDENTIFIED MILITANTS: But ever since they identified the three militants who had intimidated them from photographs they have found themselves caught between the devil and the deep sea.

The police have regarded them with suspicion and stepped up their harassment.

A slightly built man with a white flowing heard Karam Singh broke down while narrating the treatment meted out to him on one occasion. They pulled at my beard dragged me into an adjoining room and began beating me up. Some they began hitting me on the head with shoes. Then they turned to my 14-yr-old son.

The policemen according to Singh were led by the SSP. He rolled up his pajama and sleeves to show the wounds on his limbs and then sobbed uncontrollably.

On several occasions his wife was pulled by her hair and beaten up. They stripped my son naked pulled his legs apart and pressed heavy wooden rollers on his thighs said Satwant Kaur of one such raid.

He continues to remain in their custody and I have been warned by the SSP against approaching his superiors or talking to the Press. But I can’t bear the agony any more. I have to talk to someone. Please help me…she pleaded.

 HUSBAND ABSCONDING: Equally traumatic has been the experience of Kamaljit Kaur (35) whose husband has been absconding following alleged police harassment. Her husband Sukhdev Singh who owns a Gas pump and a transport agency and is president of the Ropar district truck transporters’ union has been absconding since last May after a police party raided their house

According to Kamaljit Kaur her husband had left for his village when the police party first arrived. It was 8 p.m. She was reportedly dragged to the police station while her house was locked up. Her children aged 14, 11 eight and four had to seek refuge with a neighbor.

At the police station she was allegedly beaten up and tortured with the SSP joining in the exercise I was beaten with sticks my legs were pulled apart and all sorts of abuse hurled at me because they refused to believe that my husband had gone to the village she said in a choked voice.

Later a case under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act was registered against her and she was confined to jail for a month before being released on bail.

Recently a police party led by the SSP allegedly descended at her house at 2 a.m. and a search was carried out. She was again beaten up since she could not give her husband’s whereabouts. Saini was under the influence of alcohol and kept puffing at a cigarette sitting on the sofa while she was being tortured she recalled.

 DAUGHTER ABUSED: Her 14-yr-old daughter Gagan Preet Kaur was allegedly abused and slapped by the SSP. On his orders their tenant a Sikh was reportedly brought down and abused. The policemen then departed with three of their vehicles.

The SSP was allegedly drunk and there were no policewomen accompanying the group in violation of govt orders. Policewomen were also absent when Kamaljit Kaur was earlier taken to the police station. She has been allegedly warned by the SSP against approaching the governor any political party or even the Press for this would invite the family’s annihilation she said. She has been asked to produce her husband by Aug. 1 failing which her family would be wiped out she claimed.

Repeated efforts to contact the SSP and the IG of Chandigarh failed. The ADC to the governor said that Gen. O.P. Malhotra would not be available for comment before Monday as he was “very busy”. The Chandigarh home Secretary was also not available for comment since he was “out of Station”.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1991