GUWAHATI: Pankaj Sharma, a 25year old boy from Borongabari under Khairabri police station, in Darrang District, was killed in police custody at Mangaldoi on December 3, 1994.
A fact finding team of the Manar Adikar Sampam Sami had visited Mangaldoi on Dec.5, and has noted the incidence as follows: Pankaj was an ULFA activist, and was conducting a political class in the Kuhiarkuchi village under Khairabari police station on Dec.3, 1994. The police somehow got information about this, and cordoned off the whole area. Pankaj, along with three others were arrested and were first lodged in the Khairabari police station. On hearing about the arrest, Pankaj’s mothers Mrs. Putuli Devi went to the police station, but could not see her son. In the evening, Pankaj was taken to Mangaldoi police station, and was tortured so brutally that he died at about 10:15 pm. Later, the government came out with a press statement that, Pankaj made an attempt to escape from custody. and then he was beaten to death. However, the injury marks on his body revealed a totally different story. Kamalakanta Sharma, father of Pankaj, informed the MASS investigating team that, the body had such cuts and injury marks that proves systematic torture in custody. Various organizations have demanded a judicial enquiry into the killing of Pankaj, but the government has flatly refused to do so.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 10, 1995
