Karnal resident dies in police custody, Haryana Human Rights Commission grants Rs 7.5L relief to kin

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, December 15

The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has granted a compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh to the next of kin of a Karnal resident who died in police custody of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), Karnal police, after suffering 22 injuries.

A daily wage labourer, Mintu (31), was arrested on October 16, 2021, in a theft case. Mintu’s brother Naresh Kumar alleged that the CIA staff was asking for money from Mintu and threatened that if he didn’t give the money he would be implicated in 25-30 cases. He was allegedly tortured and died on October 17, 2021.

However, the police told Mintu’s family that he had died of heart failure. “When I saw Minto’s body before the post-mortem examination, his hands and feet were swollen and had fractures. There were also injuries on other parts of his body,” Naresh Kumar told the commission.

On October 18, 2021, a case was registered at the Civil Lines police station, Karnal, in Mintu murder case. Later, the case was transferred to the state crime branch.

The Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Alka Rani, conducted the magisterial inquiry into Mintu’s death under Section 176 of the CrPC. On the basis of the post-mortem report, statements of medical officers, and medical records of Mintu, it was concluded that the case of death was due to “multiple injuries as described in the post-mortem report and their complications”. The medical board formed for the post-mortem examination had opined that the duration of injuries could range from a few hours to 24 hours before death. The board added that “cardiac pathology may hasten the progress of death”.

The commission Bench comprising Chairperson Justice SK Mittal and member Deep Bhatia, observed, “Had the injuries the number of which has been mentioned as 22 in the post-mortem report been there on deceased Mintu prior to his arrest, then he must have been admitted to some hospital or undergoing treatment in some healthcare centre…So the plea that he had suffered injuries prior to his arrest is not believable and the fact remains that deceased Mintu suffered injuries when he was in the custody of the staff of CIA-3, Karnal.”

The Bench said, “It may be stated here that custodial death is one of the highest form of violation of human rights. It is a blunt attack on the right to life and liberty guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.” Regarding the probe in Mintu’s murder, the commission said, “It is hoped that investigation will be done fairly at the earliest”, and directed for sending the copy of the order to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, and DGP, Haryana.