LUDHIANA: Two cases of police torture have come to light in Ludhiana, in recent days. Gurmect Singh, son of a local newspaper editor H.S.Walia and Jaspal Singh, a sales officer in an electronics company here, were picked up by the police from Suilej club, on Oct4.
According to 4 complaint to the SSP, their only fault appeared to be that they had failed to vacate the seats in the VIP enclosure for the children of K.S.Ghuman, assistant principal of Police Training College, Phillaur, when his security guards asked them to do so at a Culture show,
The security men it is alleged called them out and gave them a severe thrashing before handing them over to the police division No.5. Before which, the guards took away their driving licenses, college identity card andRs.1,000.
In the police station, Assistant Sub Inspector Balbir Singh, not only beat them up again but also allegedly forced them to drink liquor in order to implicate them in a case of eve teasing after proving them by a medical examination.
On learning of the incident, Walia accompanied by a government officer went to the police station where inspector Malkial Singh told them they had misbehaved with Ghuman’s wife. However, when they rushed to meet Ghuman at Philaur, he expressed complete ignorance and said he had not lodged any complaint. Ghuman not only rang up the police station immediately but also gave in writing that he had nothing against the detained boys and that they be set free immediately.
Despite realizing that its move to book the youths in a fake case had misfired, the police were in no mood to release them, On Tues day they were released on personal bonds of Rs.5000 each. A medical examination of the boys revealed seven injuries with blunt weapons on Jaspal Singh and four on Gurmeet Singh.
The youths, in their complaint, have demanded strict action against the police officials guilty, of torture, besides the return of their things.
In the second case that took place on Tuesday night, Parveen Nayar, son of an industrialist and his foreman Satnam, were stopped by some Home Guards Jawans al the Canal Bridge on Gill road around 10:30 p.m, They were taken to the police Chowki at Merado center where they were not only beaten up by drunk cops but also forced to watch blue films on a video cassette player.
According to Harish Khanna, president of the Ludhiana small scale manufacturers association, they were released on Wednesday morning at the intervention of local people.
They then lodged a complaint with the superintendent of police (city) who sent the deputy superintendent of police, Kanwaljit Singh to inquire into the matter. The raid led to seizure of blue films and the VCR on which these were shown. Three constables involved in the incident were also found drunk and were taken away by the raiding party.
Khanna has demanded exemplary punishment to the guilty policemen involved in torture of the innocents.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 22, 1993
