The Police high handedness and killing of innocent people in the name of “interrogation” and containing the re-eruption of militancy in Punjab has reached its peak with cases of Custodial torture and “police excesses” appearing in the media everyday. The Custodial death of Devinder Singh, son of Sh. Gurmukh Singh, in Village Hassanpur, Distt.Ropar is the latest case of Police turning into Judge, Jury and Executioner.
On 20th September,1999 almost all newspapers of region including “The Tribune,” published from Chandigarh published a news report, titled “ Youth dies in Police Custody”, the true copy of which is appended herewith. Next day, on 21st September,1999 a team of Lawyers representing Lawyers For Human Rights, comprising of Mr .Navkiran Singh, Mr.Arunjeev Singh Walia ,Advocates of Chandigarh and Mr.Anil Kaushik ,Advocate, Kharar, went to Village Hassanpur on a fact finding visit and conducted a detailed investigation into the whole incident.
Village Hasanpur, a small peaceful village of about 2500 people is situated on Kharar -Morinda road in District Ropar, about 30 kilometres from Chandigarh. Most of the people including the victims belong to Sikh peasantry class and lead a peaceful life. Akali background of the elders still leaves an impression on the inhabitants. Interestingly, the village has remained Crime-free even during the days of terrorism in the State.
NAME AND ADDRESSES OF VICTIMS:-
1. Devinder Singh, alias Bhola, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged 21
years, Occupation- Driver, Education- 8th Class passed
Marital Status- Un-married. ( Deceased )
2. Sapinder Singh, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged 24 years
Occupation- Farming, Education- 7th passed.( Tortured)
3. Inderjit Singh, son of Labh Singh, aged 21 years, Occupation-Painter in private firm, Education- 8th class Passed, Marital Status- Un-married.(Tortured)
4. Karnail Singh, son of Sarwan Singh, aged 22 years, Occupation- Scooter mechanic, Education- 7th passed, Marital Status-Married.(Tortured)
FACTS:-
Devinder Singh, alias Bhola, son of Sh. Gurmukh Singh,aged 21 years un-married was a Jat Sikh with no criminal background. He was working as Driver and looking after his old parents alongwith his brother Sapinder Singh . In the wee hours ie. 4.A.M, of illfated day of 18th September,1999 a Police party led by Inspector Didar Singh, S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib and Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi, and Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa, both posted at C.I.A. Staff, Ropar and other policemen raided the house of one Karnail Singh, son of Sh. Sarwan Singh of the same village and asked him to lead to the house of Devinder Singh. When the Police party raided the house of Devinder Singh at about 4.05 a.m. his parents were sleeping and Devinder Singh had gone outside. The Police party asked the whereabouts of Devinder Singh and when he could not be found there, they took Sapinder Singh, the elder son of Sh. Gurmukh Singh and told the parents that if they want Sapinder Singh back, they should produce Devinder Singh in C.I.A. Staff Ropar. While going outside, Devinder Singh was seen near the tubewell in the Village and he was also taken alongwith his brother Sapinder Singh and the other person Karnail Singh. They were taken to C.I.A. Staff Ropar, which is situated at a distance of around 35 kilometres from Hasanpur at about 6 a.m. on 18.9.1999. In the C.I.A. staff Ropar, in the presence of Inspector Didar Singh, S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib, a retired A.S.I. Sant Singh, who is not working on the rolls of Punjab Police, but entrusted the work of torturing people in most inhuman manner, along with S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi and S.I. Manvir Singh Bajwa and other policemen brought Sapinder Singh, Karnail Singh to the Courtyard at about 8 a.m. and beat the three youth badly. Their legs were torn apart at 180 Degrees , petrol was applied on their private parts and Lathi blows were given on their legs and back. They were subjected to third degree treatment for more than one hour, seperately. Then they were shifted in the lock-up and Devinder Singh was brought outside. He was tied upside down from his hair and badly beaten with Lathis, and his legs torn apart at 180 Degrees and petrol was applied on his private parts. Although Devinder Singh was a healthy boy of more than 6 ft height and seventy kilogram weight, he could not bear the third degree treatment given to him by the above named police officers. He was repeatedly asked about One Assault rifle which the police alleged that he had concealed somewhere. At about 2 p.m. S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi, S.I. Manvir Singh Bajwa and Inspector Didar Singh again brought Devinder Singh to the Village and went to a nearby land and by employing some labourers dug a substantial piece of land. When Devinder Singh was brought to the village his condition was very serious and all the villagers had gathered there and people saw the serious condition of Devinder Singh. After some time one big JCV machine for digging land was brought and almost one Bigha of land was dug with the help of the machine but nothing was recovered. This digging continued till 5 p.m. during which period, Devinder Singh could not stand or sit and was lying on the ground.
He was forced to give the name of one Inderjit Singh, son of Sh. Labh Singh, a young painter of the same village. At about 7 p.m. when Inderjit Singh was present in his house and without disclosing him about the cause of his detention, he was taken away in a White Maruti Gypsy. Both the boys were taken outside the Village on the Sahoran road, about two kilometres from their Village and on the road, they were brutally beaten in full public view in order to extort confession of having kept one assault rifle in their village. Then they were taken to C.I.A. Staff,Ropar and again subjected to inhuman third degree torture. Then they were locked in separate lock-ups.
In the meantime, at about 11 a.m. few respectable citizens of the Village including Mr.Kaka Singh, Nambardar, Mr.Bachittar Singh, son of the Sarpanch, Mr.Harbhajan Singh Shergil and Harnek Singh went to C.I.A. Staff Ropar to inquire about the well being of the boys. There they were allowed to see Devinder Singh, at about 1 p.m. and were informed by the Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi that he has agreed to give the Assault rifle. At that time, his condition was very serious and he could not stand and walk properly due to third degree torture. The police officers present there promised to release other boys in the evening and also assured that Devinder Singh would be released after three-four days. In the evening when the Village Panchayat passed an authority Letter to Mr. Gurmukh Singh father of Sapinder Singh and Devinder Singh and Mr. Harbant Singh to get back the custody of their children from Police custody, they went to the C.I.A. staff Ropar at about 5 p.m. but even after sitting there for more than three hours, when they were not given the custody of their children, they returned back empty handed on 18th September,1999.
As a matter of fact, Devinder Singh was so badly tortured that he died the same day at about 6.30 p.m. and his dead body was brought to the Civil Hospital, Ropar by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi of C.I.A. staff Ropar and an entry in the hospital record proves this fact. It is mentioned in the hospital register that a dead body was brought by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi at about 8.35 p.m.
On 19th September, 1999 at about 4 a.m. Sapinder Singh, Inderjit Singh and Karnail Singh were taken out and after roaming in the forest area for more than two hours, they were brought to Kharar Police Station and were locked there till 4 pm. Till this time they were not aware about the whereabouts of Devinder Singh. At about 4 p.m. the three were brought outside and taken to Civil Hospital, Kharar for medical examination. Before taking there they were threatened of dire consequences if they told anything to the Doctors about their custodial torture. No proper medical examination was conducted and the Doctors without asking anything from the boys issued the false medico-legal report, depicting that no marks of external injuries found, although their condition was very serious. They could not even walk or stand properly, but even this could not be noticed by the doctors and they were declared “OK”.
At about 5 p.m. they were taken to the Judicial Courts, Kharar and told that now they would be let-off. The Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, Mrs. Neelam Arora, allowed the application of prosecution seeking discharge of the three boys as no recovery of any arms could be made from them. The Magistrate even though witnessing the tortured condition of the these three accused, in a most mechanical manner accepted the medical reports and without caring to provide the accused with any counsel at the State expense. From there, the three were taken by A.S.I. Balkar Singh of Police post Gharuan, Tehsil Kharar to Village Hasanpur in his private Maruti Car. There the people had gathered and their parents told them that Devinder Singh had been killed.
On the other side back in the Village Hasanpur, on 19th September,1999 A.S.I. Balkar Singh of Police Post Gharuan, Tehsil Kharar came to Village Hasanpur and contacted Harbant Singh ,Kaka Singh Nambardar and told them that he has received a telephonic message from Ropar that Devinder Singh has suffered attack and has been admitted to Civil Hospital, Ropar and he asked the respectables of the village to accompany him to Ropar. Few villagers including Kaka Singh, Bachittar Singh, Gurmukh Singh and Avtar Kaur, parents of Devinder Singh, Surjit Kaur sister of Gurmukh Singh went alongwith the police officer to Ropar. On reaching near the Civil Hospital, Ropar, A.S.I. Balkar Singh told them that he has just now received wireless message that Devinder Singh had died of heart attack and his dead body is lying in Civil Hospital Ropar. On reaching the hospital, all the villagers immediately went to see the Emergency Medical Officer, who informed them that Devinder Singh was brought dead in the hospital. At that time DSP Avtar Singh of Commando Centre, Ropar was present over there. Shocked over this tragedy, the parents and villagers started crying and as the news of the death of Devinder Singh reached Hasanpur and adjoining villages, hundreds of people thronged the Civil Hospital, Ropar and expressing their anguish over the heinous crime, the Civil Hospital, Ropar was Gheraoed (Protest Rally) by the villagers for more than three hours. Sensing trouble heavy police force was deployed around the Civil Hospital Ropar. In the meantime, few respectable citizens of the Village went to the office of Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar where Deputy Commissioner, Ropar was also present and the villagers were told that a case of murder has been registered against one Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi and a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to be conducted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ropar, Mr.Amarjit Shahi and nobody guilty of the heinous crime would be spared. But the villagers told them that they will not accept the dead body of the deceased Devinder Singh unless the three other boys namely Sapinder Singh, brother of Devinder Singh, Karnail Singh and Inderjit Singh were released immediately. On the intervention of S.S.P. Ropar, the three boys were later got discharged and released on 19.9.1999 at about 6.30 p.m.
The Post-mortem of the dead body of Devinder Singh was conducted on 19.9.1999 at about 3p.m. and ended at about 5 p.m. when the dead body was got identified by the parents of Devinder Singh, blue marks of torture on the back and blood was flowing out of the cut marks present on his thighs. His other parts of the body bore showing many marks of custodial torture even with a naked eye. The dead body of the deceased was handed over to the villagers at about 6 p.m. and he was cremated in the Village Cremation ground at about 7 p.m. on 19.9.1999.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ropar Mr.Amarjit Singh Shahi remained in the room where the post-mortem was conducted and Video-graphy of the post-mortem was also done as per the directions of the National Human Rights Commission. The statements of Bachittar Singh, Kaka Singh, Gurmukh singh, Avtar Kaur and few others were taken by the S.D.M. in the hospital itself and the statements of the three victims/ eye witnesses, namely Inderjit Singh, Sapinder Singh and Karnail Singh were taken on 20th September, 1999 when the three were taken on cots to the office of S.D.M.Ropar. As their condition deteriorated an application was moved in the Court seeking their immediate medical examination to be conducted by a board of doctors and on the orders of the Court, the three were got medically examined by a board of doctors in Civil Hospital, Ropar on 22nd September,1999.Though no marks of external injuries have been reported in the medico-legal examination reports but the three being in severe bodily pain and unable to move,were immediately admitted as In-door patients in the Civil Hospital and they were under strict observation of Senior Doctors till the filing of this report.
Although the entire village and even surrounding villages have shown exemplary solidarity with the victims and their families, yet the police influence has succeeded in threatening and intimidating the witnesses and their family members with further implication or harassment and distorted versions of the incidents are being told in order to shield certain police officers involved in the crime. Even then, there is great resentment and anguish in the people and they have still not able to come out of the tragedy the situation in the village was tense but peaceful. The people have lost complete faith in the State machinery and demand an independent probe into the whole incident and that the guilty may be brought to books.
POLICE VERSION:-
According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar Mr.Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, on receiving information about the victims’ death at 9 p.m. on 18th September,1999 he immediately ordered that an First Information Report be registered against the officials concerned. The F.I.R. was registered at about 9.40 p.m. on 18th September,1999. The SSP further told the media persons that Devinder Singh alias Bhola, (deceased) was arrested following the registration of a case against him under Section 25 of Arms Act at Police Station Kharar on 18.9.1999. The police had arrested all the four persons after receiving a specific information that they possessed an assault rifle. He however, admitted that no assault rifle was recovered from either the victims or from the fields, but maintained that the boys had test-fired the weapon few days ago. He also admitted that these persons had no previous criminal record. At another point of time, the SSP said that the four persons were arrested on suspicion that in 1995 when an assault rifle had been buried in the fields of Mewa Singh of this village, Devinder Singh had allegedly taken out the said weapon and test fired it. But Inspector Didar Singh, who led the police party which illegally picked up Devinder Singh and three others and committed the most heinous crime against humanity, told the media that Devinder Singh(deceased) had died due to heart attack, as he was already suffering from some disorder.The Chief Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Ropar after conducting the Post-mortem of the deceased told the media that no external injury marks were found on the body of the deceased and the cause of death could not be established from the post-mortem conducted by the board of doctors. The final opinion on the cause of death has been deferred till the report of Viscera of the deceased is received from the concerned laboratory.
ACTION TAKEN BY POLICE:-
The First information report no.172 dated 18.9.1999 under Section 302 I.P.C. P.S. Ropar is patently a bogus document and has been registered at the bare statement of the accused Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi contrary to the procedure of Criminal Law that the FIR has to be registered on the statement of the Complainant. The F.I.R. simply mentions that Devinder Singh alias Bhola was in the lawful custody of Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi and during investigation he suffered an “attack” and was taken to Civil Hospital, Ropar where he died of the “attack”. No other police officer has been named or found involved in the conspiracy and the theory of a death due to “ heart attack” has been put forward in the F.I.R by the Police authorities. Even after a week of the Custodial death of Devinder Singh alias Bhola, not even a single police officer has been arrestsed or suspended and the Chief Minister of Punjab has not found “time” to console the parents of the deceased or take strict action against the erring cops.
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT:-
Sapinder Singh, son of Sh.Gurmukh Singh, aged 24 years, married only six months before, is the elder brother of deceased Devinder Singh alias Bhola and himslef a victim of the police excesses. According to his statement given to our team while lying on the cot, they were brutally tortured in the CIA staff Ropar in the presence of Inspector Didar Singh, by S.I. Malvinder Singh Malhi, S.I. Manvir Singh Bajwa, Inspector Sant Singh(Retd.) and other policemen. While the three even weak were able to bear the third degree treatment, Devinder Singh who was healthier than the others but being given severe beating by the above named police officers, suffered serious injuries. He was tied up-side down from his hair and heavy weight was put on his hair and then his legs were torn apart at 180 degrees and after stripping him petrol was applied on his private parts and lathi blows were given on his back and on his feet soles.
Inderjit Singh, son of Labh Singh, another victim told that in the C.I.A. staff Ropar, all of them were kept in separate rooms and he heard the screms of Devinder Singh till evening and thereafter he did not hear any thing about Devinder Singh. While narrating the torture inflicted on Devinder Singh which led to his death, he told that after they were mercilessly beaten, some while powder was mixed in water and forced to consume it and thereafter again beat them badly. Devinder Singh who was already nude, was caught from both of his legs stretched apart and full one litre of petrol was administered on his private parts. At this he cried out of pain loudly and was screaming “Save me”. Then the policemen locked them in separate cells and again started beating separately. At last, One loud cry of Devinder Singh was heard, “ Mother, I am dying.” Thereafter no voice was heard from his side. Describing his own torture, Inderjit said that he was stripped, laid on the ground and mercilessly beaten. His head was hit on the wall leading to a serious injury on his forehead. His legs were streched apart at 180 degrees and petrol was put on his private parts when it started bleeding due to streching of the legs. He is unable to excrete or urinate and his lower limbs are not in his control.
This statement was corroborated by all other witnesses who themselves have not been able to come out of the trauma of the third degree treatment given to them. Their condition is so serious that they could not even change their side while in the cot without the help of somebody. Their limbs have become motionless and voice trembling out of fear and being dumb struck they hardly converse with their parents. They are unable to hide the expression of fear from their faces.
FINDINGS:-
The investigation team of the Lawyers For Human Rights International, visited Village Hasanpur, on 21st September,1999 and during the course of investigations met about hundred villagers and recorded the statements of material witnesses and also talked to the three victims, namely Sapinder Singh, Karnail Singh and Inderjit Singh separately. Facts disclosed by the parents of the deceased were also recorded. Joining all the facts and circumstances in a chain, it hardly leaves any doubt that
1. Devinder Singh, deceased was hale and hearty when he was picked up by the Police party and he was subjected to inhuman third degree torture in order to extort confession of possessing an asssault rifle and was killed in Police Custody in the C.I.A.Staff, Ropar. The cause of his death is evidently “Police torture” whatever the post-mortem or viscera report of the deceased may conclude.
2. The four were kept in illegal detention for 48 hours beginning 4 a.m. on 18.9.1999 till 5 p.m. on 19.9.1999 and the F.I.R. No.146 dated 18.9.1999 was subsequently recorded when Devinder Singh died due to inhuman third degree torture. No other victim was named in the said F.I.R. and the Police having failed to justify the illegal detention of the three sought their discharge before the Magistrate and admitted in its application filed before Mrs.Neelam Arora, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar that no recovery of any arm could be made from the three persons.
3. Devinder Singh, deceased was brought dead in Civil Hospital, Ropar by S.I.Malvinder Singh Malhi at about 8 p.m. on 18th September,1999. While all the Senior Police officials and the District Administration were aware of the Custodial Death, even on the night of 18 th September, the parents of the deceased were intentionally not informed of the death till 6 a.m. of 19.9.1999. Police tried to destroy vital piece of evidence by concealing the actual time of the death of the deceased. The genuinety of the Post-mortem report is also questionable as the villagers saw many blue marks of torture on the back of the deceased even with their naked eyes. Big cut marks on the thighs of the deceased with blood flowing from it were also noticed which does not find any mention in the Post-mortem report. The cause of death has intentionally been concealed in the Post-mortem report, so as to save the Police officials and giving them ample opportunity to save them from any action in accordance with law.
4. The medical examination report of the three victims conducted on 19th September,1999 at 4 p.m. in Civil Hospital, Kharar was patently false and smacks of a deep rooted nexus between the Local Police and the Medical officers of the Civil Hospital. When the three victims could not even change their sides in the cot even till today, how could it be imagined that their condition was “OK” on 19th September,1999 at 4 p.m. when they were in Police Custody and without any medical treatment they were sent back ?
5. No action whatsoever has been taken by the Police or the District administration against the erring Police officers. Inspector Didar Singh, SHO,P.S.Anandpur Sahib, Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi, Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa and Inspector Sant Singh( Retd.) are primarily responsible for torturing to death Devinder Singh and subjecting inhuman third degree torture on all the above named three victims, in C.I.A.Staff, Ropar.Inspector Didar Singh even admitted his involvement to a member of the Investigation team on phone when he pleaded “sorry” for the crime and asked them to keep low.
6. The role of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, Ms.Neelam Arora was also most improper and shady in the light of the fact that she even did not take care in securing the presence of a counsel at State expense to the three victims when they were produced before her by the Police on 19.9.1999 at 5 p.m. She acted in a most mechanical manner by accepting the medical reports of the victims, even after witnessing the serious condition of the three persons, when they could not even stand on their feet.
7. The parents of Devinder Singh, deceased are in a very pitiable condition. Their economic condition is so bad that since 18th September,1999 only a day’s meal is served to the other family members, because their elder son Sapinder Singh who is seriously injured due to Police torture, has to be served with Milk every three hours as per doctors advice. The condition of the family members of other three victims is no good. However, the villagers and their relatives have been providing each and every help these people want. Most of the people want that the police officers responsible for killing Devinder Singh and torturing three others, be handed over to them so that they may “take the revenge” from them. Few others want the law to take its own course and demand immediate arrest of all the police officials responsible for the henious crime against humanity.
8. The Police party had acted illegally and against the instructions of District Administration in picking up the deceased Devinder Singh and three others. A notification issued by the State of Punjab makes it mandatory for the Police to go to the Village Panchayat first if they want to arrest any villager from the Village.In the present case, neither the Sarpanch nor any member of Village Panchayat was informed before taking the deceased or three persons to C.I.A. Staff, Ropar. As the deceased or other victims had no previous criminal record, the Police were not at all justified in adopting such inhuman method and subjected them with third degree treatment. Investigations into the earlier service record of the policemen involved in the crime, it has been confirmed from official record that Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi is among those policemen of Punjab Police who were awarded out-of-turn promotions for combating terrorism under the Own Rank and Pay Scheme. He would have been reverted to the post of a head constable, as per the policy of the State Police decided recently. Strangely, Inspector Sant Singh according to the investigation, is a retired Inspector known for his inhuman techniques in extorting confessions from the accused persons. Although he is not on the pay rolls of the Police department, he has been made the incharge of the C.I.A. Staff, Ropar and he is drawing the salary of two Special Police officers who are nowhere in existence. His only job is to beat every person brought to the C.I.A. staff and under the influence of liquor he sometimes forgets that his prey is also a human being and can not withstand such inhuman third degree torture. He was also reportedly seen in the Police party by the villagers in Hassanpur on 18.9.1999 at about 2 p.m. when Devinder Singh was brought again to the village for recovery of the assault rifle. Thus his role in the entire set of events raises a question mark over the functioning of the Punjab Police. Even though he figures as a main co-accused as per the true statement of account by the three victims, his name nowhere finds mention on the rolls of State Police.
9. The First Information Report registered against Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi on 18.9.1999 is a bogus document and it could certainly cause the aquittal of the accused. While all other F.I.R.’s are registered on the Statement of the complainant, this F.I.R. has been registered at the instance of the accused and incorporating his explanation on the death of the deceased. Shamefully, even the single policeman named in the F.I.R. has neither been suspended nor arrested by the Punjab Police. However, One police constable said to be involved in the crime has surrendered before the police, but others including the main accused are still at large and no appropriate efforts are made to arrest them. The investigation team doubts if at all any action would be taken against the erring Policemen by the State of Punjab.
10. The role of media in the entire incident was most appreciable and it stood to the test of courage and kept the high traditions of free and fair media.
RECOMMENDATIONS:-
1. Judicial Inquiry must be done in the case to be conducted by a judicial officer not below the rank of Sessions Judge in order to fix responsibility on the police officers who gave the fatal third degree treatament which caused the death of the deceased Devinder Singh.
2. The medical treatment of the three victims must be done at State expense and an interim compensation of Rs. 3 lacs should be paid to the next of kin of the deceased Devinder Singh alias Bhola.
3. Departmental action against the doctors of Civil Hospital, Kharar and Civil Hospital,Ropar must be taken for giving false medical reports of the victims and Post-mortem report of the deceased Devinder Singh.
4. The State Chief Minister,Mr.Parkash Singh Badal must accept moral responsibility for the irreparable loss caused to the bereaved family.
5. The guilty police officials namely Inspector Didar Singh, S.H.O. Police Station Anandpur Sahib, Sub-Inspector Malvinder Singh Malhi, Sub-Inspector Manvir Singh Bajwa and Sant Singh, retired Inspector should be immediately booked for Custodial death of Devinder Singh and punished in accordance with the procedure established by law.
6. Similarly these set of police officers should also be booked for illegal detention and for subjecting the injured victims, Sapinder Singh, Inderjit Singh and Karnail Singh to third degree torture.
No political party, whether ruling or opposition in the State has shown courage to share the grief of the villagers and except severe condemnation from the various human rights organisations, including Lawyers For Human Rights and Punjab Human Rights Organisation and highlighted by the media. No political leader or party has joined the people’s movement against this heinous crime. In plain words, it is an insult to the injury and the inaction of the Punjab Police in dealing with this case has once again brought it into the dock. The apprehensions of human rights activists that the Punjab Police is trying to jack-boot innocent people and kill them by branding them as “terrorists” and it would not be surprising if the militancy may once again strike the State at the cost of the hard won peace in this part of the country. The corrupt and indifferent policy of the State Government and the atrocities committed by the Punjab Police on innocent people are only to be blamed if such a situation comes.
To sum up, no words could express the grief and sorrow of the villagers of Hasanpur and nothing short of life imprisonment to all the above named policemen and suitable compensation to the next of the kin of the deceased Devinder Singh and other three victims could meet the ends of justice. It is high time that the State Government and the Punjab Police must realise that if such incidents of Police highhanded ness go unchecked, it will certainly bring resentment and annoyance among the common citizenry at the cost of public peace.
We conclude this report with heavy heart, reminding the disconcerting note sounded by Abraham Lincoln,
“ If you once forfeit the confidence of our fellow citizens you
can never regain their respect and esteem.
It is true that you can fool all the people some of the time
and some of the people all the time,
but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Action taken by LHRI
The copies of the above report were sent to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission and Punjab & Haryana High Court, besides concerned police authorities. Our organisation provided free legal aid to the victims before the Punjab & Haryana High Court and Punjab State Human Rights Commission in opposing the bail applications of the accused police officials. While the Punjab State Human Rights Commission awarded an interim compensation to the tune of Rs.2.5 lacs to the father of the victim Devinder Singh(deceased) and Rs.30,000/- each to the injured victims, the Sessions Judge, Ropar after trying four police officials for causing the death of Devinder Singh in police custody, sentenced three policemen to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5000/- each, but acquitted Inspector Didar Singh, the then Station House Officer of Police Station, Anandpur Sahib.
CHANDIGARH
September 22,1999