Woman alleges custodial torture, SSP marks inquiry
BATALA: A Dayalgarh village based Dalit family, under sadar police station jurisdiction, has been moving from pillar to post from last 10 days to seek action against the policemen who gave third degree to their family member.
Talking to the media at civil hospital, victim’s son, Santi said that her mother, Kuldeep Kaur,40, was working as a domestic help at their landlord Deepa Singh’s house.
As per information, on August 29 night, a police team from Dayalgarh police post came to their home and said that Deepa Singh had lodged a theft complaint against Kuldeep. The police were not accompanied by a female cop at the time of incident.
“The police team led by incharge Sukhwinder Singh took my mother from our house to the police post where she was assaulted by the cops to admit to the crime,” said Santi. “Unable to bear the torture, when my mother got unconscious, the cops asked me to take her back,” he said. “On August 30, I took her to civil hospital Batala where the doctor denied to admit her and sent us back, after the doctor got a call from the police,” Santi added.
“When my mother’s condition deteriorated, we again took her to the hospital on September 2,” he said. It was only when we raised the matter in front of civil surgeon Gurdaspur, during his visit to civil hospital on September 8, a medical legal report (MLR) was filed and the doctors started her treatment, he said.
“Till date my mother is not able to walk or speak,” he said. Santi further said that on August 30, he along with his family lodged a complaint with the Batala senior police officials but no action has been taken against the accused. SSP Batala, Opinderjeet Singh Ghuman, said that he had marked a probe into the matter. The inquiry will be conducted by the DSP, Fatehgarh Churrian, said Ghuman. DSP will file the report in the matter by September 11.
Senior medical officer Sanjeev Bhalla said that the woman had left the hospital on August 30 voluntarily as she wanted to lodge a complaint with the SSP. On September 8, the woman again came to hospital and is now undergoing treatment, said Bhalla.