LUDHIANA: The Interactional Human Rights Organization (THRO) has demanded an immediate medical examination and a proper treatment of a Christian Daniel Masih, who had been tortured by the Phillaur police. His condition is worsening by the day because of the severe damage caused to his kidneys due to the torture. The THRO has also demanded a judicial or a CBI inquiry into the whole agonizing episode of the poor family and the nexus of land grabbers, politicians and the police officials, who had tried to grab the church land. “Daniel is facing an untimely death in custody at the Rajendra Hospital, Patiala,” said his spouse Kiran, who has written letters to the President of India, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Punjab Chief Minister, Chief Justice of the state urging their immediate attention.

A three member IHRO team investigated the matter and met with Bishop V. Joel Mal, priest William Joseph, evangelist Ashok Kumar, Daniel’s relations and few residents of Phillaur. William Joseph told the IHRO team: “Daniel has been victimized by the police for his strong resistance to an attempt by the local land grabbers, Ajit Singh and Malkiat Singh, to usurp the church land. For this, the police wanted to “teach him a les son” So they took him into custody, beat him in the bazaar and tied him naked outside the police station. “The priest and the bishop got him released the next day. Following a complaint, Jalandhar SSP Dinakar Gupta suspended the guilty officials. Somehow, these Officials were again posted in Phillaur and they threatened Daniel for complaining against them. On May 21, Daniel was again picked up and framed in a murder case. He was brutally tortured in the presence of his spouse, father Mast Ram Masih and Jit Ram. “My husband was dragged out of the lockup, stripped naked and beaten mercilessly by SHO Angrej Singh, ASI Som Nath and Thakur Kuldip Singh,” said Kiran. She added that the officials kept hit ting Daniel’s private parts for quite some time. According to the IHRO administration secretary, Rattan Singh, Daniel was currently lodged in the Rajendra Hospital, with a completely damaged right kidney, that will have to be removed through a major operation. Earlier, he was sent to Civil Hospital, by the Jalandhar jail authorities, as he had started passing blood in his urine.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 25, 1996