Nabbed on theft charge, boy alleges torture by policemen

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 8

A 12-year-old boy, Lakhwinder Singh, was allegedly tortured by two Assistant Sub-Inspectors of the Bathinda police after locking him up at the Kotwali police station for two days.

Unable to walk, the victim has now been admitted to the local Civil Hospital. Senior police officials have ordered a probe into the serious allegations while Kotwali police station officials have rejected the charges, terming them baseless.

Talking to the mediapersons here today, Lakhwinder’s mother Amandeep Kaur said her son was playing with his friends on December 3 when he went upstairs to get a kite from the roof of a house at the market near Mata Rani Temple. She alleged that Davinder Kumar, a local resident, caught her son from the roof, accusing him of theft, and called 25-30 local residents. She alleged that they all thrashed him and handed him over to the Kotwali police station. Lakhwinder alleged that SHO Devinder Singh, ASI Kulwinder Singh, ASI Rajveer Singh and two unidentified policemen assaulted him brutally. He alleged that ASI Kulwinder Singh put petrol in his private parts and beat him with sticks and pipes. He said the policemen threatened him to confess to the theft but he refused as he was innocent.

Amandeep Kaur alleged that when she went to the Kotwali police station, the policemen misbehaved with her and said her son was a thief. She alleged that ASI Kulwinder Singh demanded Rs 15,000 to let off her son.

On the other hand, SHO of the Kotwali police station and the two ASIs have rejected the allegations. The SHO said a group of people had handed over them the boy on the suspicion of theft and later, the two parties had reached a compromise. SSP Naveen Singla said he had marked an inquiry to the SP(D) and anyone found guilty would not be spared.