Protest over Dumbarton man ‘tortured’ in India
HUNDREDS of people are due to protest outside the Foreign Office calling for Boris Johnson to intervene in the case of a British man arrested in India who campaigners say has been tortured by police.
Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, was detained in Jalandhar in the state of Punjab on November 4.
The Sikh Federation UK said no official charges have yet appeared, but local media reported Mr Johal’s arrest was linked to the killing of Hindu leaders in Punjab.
Mr Johal, who got married in India in October, has told lawyers he has been tortured with “body separation techniques and electrocution to body parts”.
The federation said up to 1000 people will protest outside the FCO building tomorrow. They will also ask for Mr Johnson to meet with the family and “make representations to his Indian counterpart demanding his immediate release.
Speaking about the case previous- ly, an FCO spokesman said: “We are in contact with the family of a British man who has been detained in India. Our staff have requested consular access from the Indian authorities so we can be assured of his welfare.”
Bhai Amrik Singh, chairman of the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “The Punjab police has been given a free hand to torture Jagtar for the last 10 days without the British High Commission taking any action to protect a law-abiding British citizen who had just been married and was spending time with his newly wed wife.
“The callous actions of the Indian authorities are sickening, but the Foreign Office and the British High Commission appear to be under pressure not to act and will be accused of looking the other way.”
Mr Johal’s crimes reportedly include “running a magazine” in the UK of atrocities during the 1984 Sikh Genocide and “influencing the youth through social media”.
He appeared in court last Friday, where his family and lawyers said they were denied access. He is due to be held on remand until tomorrow.