Jawan tortured by Police

Jawan tortured by police, Ludhiana family alleges
Balwinder Kumar, Hindustan Times
Ludhiana, November 10, 2011
The father of an army man has alleged that his son was tortured at a police station in Ludhiana district, and has demanded a high-level probe into the incident. Harbans Singh said his son Jasbir Singh was stripped and beaten up at Mullanpur Dakha police station by station house officer (SHO), inspector Prem Singh, and other police personnel, and also slapped with two false cases on October 1.

Jasbir, 27, who is posted at Khanpur Camp in Delhi, was on leave and at home with his father in Ludhiana’s Mullanpur Dakha town when the SHO summoned the duo to the police station on October 1.

The father and son had in August complained of "forcible eviction" from their rented home and the call to the police station was reportedly in this regard.

The SHO started taking the side of the other party and pressurised Jasbir and his father to reach a compromise in the case, Harbans said.

Harbans claimed that when he opposed this, Prem Singh slapped him. "When Jasbir intervened, the SHO shut the door of the police station and he and other policemen assaulted my son," he said.

His son was stripped and brutally thrashed for two hours, Harbans said.

The next day Jasbir was sent to Ludhiana jail on "false" charges. The SHO slapped two cases against Jasbir — assaulting to deter public servant from discharge of duty (this on the statement of Prem Singh himself who was also the inquiry officer); and attempt to rape, Jasbir's father said.

This second case was registered following a complaint by a 45- year-old woman on the same day, Harbans said.

In his letter to army authorities he claimed that the woman is a "police informer" and had come to the police station in support of the opposite party.

Harbans said his family members had gone to Delhi to meet army officers of the unit, and were assured of justice. The family has written to the Punjab DGP and other senior officers demanding a probe. DIG (Ludhiana range) MF Farooqui said he had received the complaint. An inquiry would be done to ensure justice, he said. The family has also filed a bail application in the attempt to rape case in Punjab and Haryana high court.
Jawan tortured by police, Ludhiana family alleges