Custodial death: PSHRC recommends Rs 3 lakh relief for family of deceased

Amritsar, July 17

The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has recommended Rs 3 lakh compensation for the family of a youth who died in custody of the Vallah police post in December 2015. A murder case was registered against the police post in-charge and a munshi in this connection.

Rinku, alias Kinka, a resident of the Maqboolpura area was found hanging in the Vallah police post lockup on December 20, a day after his arrest. The PSHRC had immediately ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and asked the police to submit its reports to the commission.

The investigation carried out by a Judicial Magistrate (First class) and the statement of the victim’s family raised suspicions that he allegedly died due to police atrocities. The autopsy report mentioned injury marks on the body of the deceased and the cause of death as asphyxia ante mortem hanging.

After perusing the evidence and circumstances, Judicial Magistrate Harsimranjit Kaur had concluded that Kinka’s death was not natural. The police had registered a case of murder and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against officials of the Vallah police chowki following preliminary investigation.

The commission pointed out that despite registration of the FIR, no compensation was given to the victim’s family. The Police Commissioner also confirmed to the PSHRC that the victim’s family was not compensated following a show-cause notice.

Now, the PSHRC has recommended a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. The panel also instructed the government to recover the amount from the delinquent police officials as it deemed appropriate.