Doda, April 25
The death of a youth due to custodial torture and the alleged rape of the victim’s sister led to strong protests at Prem Nagar in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir where agitating people blocked the Jammu-Kishtwar road throughout the day today.
They were demanding stern action against the guilty police officials who allegedly tortured Rishi Kumar, son of Falel Singh, in custody that led to his death at Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, last night.
Even as deputy commissioner Doda Sourav Bhagat has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe the allegations and SP Bhaderwah has assured to get a medical examination of the rape victim done, the agitators continued their
protest. Sources said Rishi Kumar. along with seven others, was picked up by the police on April 13 on a charge of murder of his brother Madan Lal.
In police custody, Rishi Kumar was subjected to third-degree torture. Following this, the police shifted him to hospital, where he died last night. The allegation of the sister of the deceased that she was also kept in illegal police custody for three days and raped added fuel to the fire and gripped the area in tension.
“They (cops) kept me in the lock-up and raped me after I went to the police post to enquire about my brother,” she told TNS.
