Dalit youths claim cops beat them up, poured petrol on private parts in Sangrur

Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, May 8

Two Dalit youngsters were allegedly tortured in police custody at Sandaur police station in Sangrur district when they went to lodge a police complaint.

Jagga Singh, former sarpanch of Kasba Bharal village, said after some unidentified people calling themselves policemen beat his nephews Siramjit Singh and Lakhvir Singh up and forcibly took away Rs 20,000, he and some other villagers took the two boys to file a complaint at the police station.   

“On Wednesday four unidentified persons in a Bolero and the vehicle my nephews were in near Manki village. They said they were cops and demanded that the two accompany them to police station to question them in connection with some FIR. When Simranjit asked them for identity cards, they started beating him, snatched Rs 20,000 from Lakhvir and fled,” he said.

At the police station, police officials allegedly took both youngsters inside but refused to allow the others in.

Simranjit Singh claimed some drunken policemen tried to force him into admitting no such incident took place. When he refused, they tortured him all night, he claimed.

Lakhvir was luckier, he said---the assault did not last as long for him.

“The drunken cops poured in petrol in my private parts, crushed my hands under their shoes, hit my feet with sticks and kept me naked for many hours,” Simranjit said from at Malerkotla Civil Hospital, where he’s currently being treated for his injuries.

They were kept at the police station until Thursday evening, when relatives threatened to protest, he said.

Lakhvir had minor wounds and was released from the hospital after first aid.

Police meanwhile said they had suspended two policemen--- ASI Sukhwinder Singh and PHG Kesar Singh---and transferred three others out of their currently postings.

Malerkotla Superintendent of Police Manjit Singh Brar said they had instituted a departmental inquiry against the policemen. Police were also conducting preliminary investigations into the allegations of snatching.