Cops ‘torture’ 2 Dalit youths in Sangrur

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, May 8

Gone to file a snatching complaint, two Dalit youths were allegedly tortured at the Sandaur police station for hours.

Malerkotla SP Manjit Singh Brar has suspended an ASI and Punjab Home Guards and transferred three police officials to the Police lines.

Victims wanted to file snatching plaint

On Wednesday, four persons stopped the vehicle of Simranjit Singh and Lakhvir Singh near Manki village. They claimed that they were police officials and asked the two to accompany them to the police station. But when Simranjit asked them for their identity cards, they started beating him up and snatched Rs20,000 from Lakhvir and fled. — Jagga Singh, former sarpanch of Kasba Bharal village

“On Wednesday, four unidentified persons came in a Bolero and intercepted the vehicle of Simranjit Singh and Lakhvir Singh, who are the sons of my two sisters, near Manki village. They claimed that they were police officials and asked the two to accompany them to the police station, saying they wanted to question them in connection with an FIR. But when Simranjit asked them for their identity cards, they started beating him up and snatched Rs 20,000 from Lakhvir and fled,” said Jagga Singh, former sarpanch of Kasba Bharal village.

After Jagga Singh and other villagers got to know about the incident, they reached the spot and took the youths to the Sandaur police station on Wednesday evening.

But the police allegedly took the two youths inside and did not allow their relatives to enter the police station. “The police pressurised us to confess that no snatching had taken place. When I refused, they started torturing me, while Lakhvir faced their wrath for some time. Drunk officials poured petrol on my private parts, crushed my hands under their shoes, hit my feet with sticks and kept me naked for hours. I request the Chief Minister and the DGP to take strict action against the cops,” said Simranjit Singh.

“After our relatives threatened to protest, they released us last evening,” the youths said.

“Departmental inquiry will also be conducted,” said the Malerkotla SP.