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| Police torture sparks protest in Kishtwar | | |  Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 19: Demanding action against the senior police officers including SP Kishtwar Abrar Ahmed Chowdhary, the people of village Srawan Keshwan on Thursday staged anti-police protests over the custodial torture of a man.
The people held a strong protest outside police station Kishtwar and block the road for some time. They were protesting against the alleged third degree torture of Akhtar Hussain Hajam, son of Ali Mohammad Hajjam, of Srawan Keshwan, in the police custody. Akhtar is the father of five small children.
The protesters were demanding action against the police officials responsible for the critical condition of the victim who is presently battling for his life in the Government Medical College Jammu and has been put on ventilator by the doctors who termed his condition as critical.
Anticipating protests from the people, Kishtwar police had laid a nakka on Keshwan road and blocked the village. But despite huge police deployment in the area, many people including women managed to reach Kishtwar where they held protests against the police atrocities on the innocent person during custody.
The brother of the victim told the Early Times that Kishtwar police is trying to put pressure on them for sorting out the issue through negotiation and compromise. He said the police officers are ready to go to any extent to meet their demands including the cost of the entire treatment of the victim. He said that his brother is presently in coma at GMC Jammu, and refuted the police claims that his brother made a suicide attempt inside the police station.
He also denounced the police version that his brother was picked up on 18-4-2018 and had not remained in any sort of illegal detention in police custody. He said his brother was picked up by the police on 18-3-2018 and released on 10-4-2018 at around 10 pm.
The victim's brother said that police "can write whatever they want in the FIR," and added that it is only Kishtwar police who is responsible for the present condition of his brother.
"We are poor and don't want to engage in a battle with police. The police claims that my brother is fine and nothing has happened to him is baseless. Anyone can go to the hospital and see his condition. He is in coma. He is almost dead. Even if he survives, he would not be able to do any work to feed his wife and five children," he said.
He said that even his brother's wife was subjected to torture and was beaten in police custody and that police is trying to divert the attention of the case from the public.
Family members victim knock door of Kishtwar court
Meanwhile, the brother of the victim Akther Hussain Hajam approached the Court of Chief Judical Magistrate Kishtwar demanding action against the four senior police officials involved in torturing Akther following which he is battling for his life at Government Medical College, Jammu.
As per the complaint filed by Abdul Gani Hajjam, the brother of the victim through advocate Syed Arif Hussain before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Kishtwar, the copy of which is available with 'Early Times', the counsel of the victim's family filed criminal complaint against the SSP Kishtwar Abrar Ahmed Chowdhary, Dy. SP DAR Kishtwar Manoj Kumar, Dy. SP HQ Kishtwar Nihar Ranjan and SHO Police Station Kishtwar Sameer Jeelani for commission of offences under section 330, 331, 342, 348 RPC with prayers for taking cognizance of the same and to punish the accused persons under law.
The complainant stated that they are peace loving and law abiding citizens of India and permanent resident of the state of J&K, as such is having a legal right to protect his fundamental rights by involving the jurisdiction of this honorable court in case of infringement of his brother's right that too with use of criminal force and in present case since the accused have violated the rights of the brother of the complainant by putting him under illegal confinement as well as use of force by using 3rd degree torture resulting in serious injuries to the brother of complainant.
The complainant stated that on 18th of March 2018, the police of Police Station Kishtwar has picked up his real brother from his house Panthana Keshwan on the basis of some false and frivolous information and since then has been kept unwarrantedly under illegal confinement.
The complainant stated that he approached before the accused persons to know the reasons behind the arrest of his brother but instead of allaying the fears of the complainant the accused did not pay any heed to his request and falsely assured him that his brother would be released soon.
"That on 18th of April 2018 the complainant went to police station Kishtwar to know the whereabouts of his brother got shocked when he saw his brother in serious condition who was being taken to District Hospital Kishtwar for treatment after being mercilessly beaten by the police of Police Station Kishtwar where he was illegally confined and given 3rd degree torture leaving the brother of the complainant almost in semi dead condition and it has been confirmed from the concerned doctor that the brother of the complainant has received multiple injuries to head and other parts of the body and as such has been referred to GMC Jammu under critical condition for his treatment" read the complaint filed by counsel advocate Syed Arif Hussain.
The complainant said that the accuse being the public servant disobeying the law intentionally have caused serious injuries to the brother of the complainant after being picked up, illegal confined and mercilessly beaten up/torture by the police under custody trampling all the fundamental rights as well as due process of law and demanded action against the accuse in the interest of justice.
Speaking to "Early Times" advocate for the complainant Syed Arif Hussain said that all the necessary process with regard to case has been completed and the statements of the complainant has also been recorded before the CJM Kishtwar along with supportive affidavit. He said that however the judge has reserved its decision for tomorrow. |
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