Re-probe boy’s torture, rights panel tells SSP

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 12

The Punjab State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights today directed the Bathinda SSP to re-investigate the alleged torture of a 12-year-old boy at the Kotwali police station last week. It has also ordered the setting up of a board comprising senior doctors to conduct the victim’s medical examination again.

Child rights panel chairman Sukesh Kalia said he had also called for regular counselling of the victim. The panel has asked the Bathinda DEO to make arrangements for the resumption of the boy’s education.

He said any decision on invoking the POCSO Act would be taken once the medical report was received. He said the commission had recorded statements of police officials and now they were examining them. Earlier, SP (Investigation) Swaran Singh Khanna along with Inspector Devinder Singh, former SHO of the Kotwali police station, and ASI Rajbir Singh appeared before the commission and recorded their statements in the case.

However, ASI Kulwinder Singh, who was booked by the Bathinda police in the case, didn’t reach the commission’s office. Two doctors of the Bathinda Civil Hospital were also called by the commission and they recorded their statements about the medico-legal report of the boy. Victim’s mother Amandeep Kaur also reached there and sought registration of a case against the SHO and the ASI.

She demanded that they be also booked under the POCSO Act and the SC/ST Act. ASI Kulwinder Singh and shopkeeper Devinder Kumar, who didn’t appear in front of the commission today, will be summoned again.