Two CIA cops face inquiry for ‘thirddegree torture’ on teen

Incharge of Batala’s Simble police post admits they detained a wrong person, but claim no such torture was inflicted

BATALA: An inquiry has been ordered against two constables of Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Batala police for allegedly detaining and thrashing a 16-year-old boy over suspicion of drug peddling.

Local Mahila Congress president Sonia said the boy, who is her neighbour, was standing outside his house in Preet Nagar when two cops in mufti came on a scooter and took him with them on Thursday evening.

“When the boy resisted, one of the persons pointed a pistol at him and said they were from CIA. They told him that he was being taken to police lines for questioning,” she added.

“When I along with the boy’s parents reached police lines, we saw both of them thrashing the minor mercilessly. We tried to intervene, but the security guard standing outside the room did not let us do so, while the constables subjected the boy to third-degree torture till he fainted,” Sonia said.

“After realising that they had caught hold of a wrong person, the constables fled from the spot, leaving the unconscious boy there,” she added.

“As the news spread, few more residents of our locality reached the police lines. On asking the reason behind their act, the police said they were looking for a drug peddler, Lalli, but mistakingly picked the boy,” Sonia said.

“When we threatened to hold a protest, the security guard asked us to take the boy with us,” she added.

She has also alleged that the on-duty officer at the Simble police post threatened over a dozen residents of Preet Nagar of dire consequences if they raised the matter.

“They had on Friday morning gone there to lodge a complaint against the constables,” she added.

The group of residents later approached the superintendent of police (SP) (headquarter) Varun Sharma, who subsequently asked the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) (headquarter) to hold an impartial inquiry in the case and take strict action against those found guilty.

Though Simble police post in-charge Gurvinder Singh admitted that it was a case of mistaken identity, he said no third-degree torture was inflicted on the boy.

“After getting a specific tipoff, a police team had gone to Preet Nagar to pick a drug peddler, but caught an innocent boy by mistake. He, however, was let off after questioning,” Gurvinder added.

› The boy lives in my neighbourhood. He was detained from outside his house by two men, who claimed to be CIA personnel. They told him that he was being taken to police lines for questioning. SONIA, Batala Mahila Congress president