DC, police chief appear before National SC panel

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 23

Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat and Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh today appeared before vice-chairman, National SC Commission, Rajkumar Verka, in connection with the custodial death of a youth inside the Vallah police chowki here a couple of days ago.

They submitted the action taken report in the case so far. In the report, the Police Commissioner revealed that the police had already registered a murder case against the accused cops who were still missing. He said all of them, including SHO Mohkampura police station, have been suspended. Among others who appeared before Verka include Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, city-I, Harvinder Singh and the district welfare officer.

Aulakh informed the commission that a judicial probe had already been initiated in the incident. He said appropriate action would be taken against the culprits once the police received the final report of the judicial probe and the medical examination report in the case.

Verka said the matter was serious and brought forth the ugly face of atrocities against Dalits. He said the Vallah police kept the youth, Rinku, alias Kinka, in illegal detention and even demanded Rs 2,000 as bribe from the family in order to settle the case. He asked the Deputy Commissioner to provide compensation to the family as per rules within a week.

Seeta, mother of the deceased, told Verka that he was the sole bread winner of the family and after his death, it had become very difficult for them to make both ends meet. She urged him to provide a government job to her other son. Verka asked the DC to write to the Punjab government to see whether anything could be done in this regard.

Kinka was held by the Vallah police in connection with a mobile-theft case. However, he allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a wooden piece pierced in the wall of the police lock-up. He tore a piece of cloth from the blanket provided to him by the police.