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| Custodial death in Rajouri; another surfaces in Kathua | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 13: Deaths in custody are not a much common feature in Jammu region but two cases have to fore –an elderly handicapped person died in custody of Rajouri Police last night while the other case dates back to July last year and is currently being worked out by the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police which seized records from Rajbagh Police Station in Kathua district.
Tension erupted in the border township of Rajouri this morning after hundreds of people from a nearby village thronged to the town protesting death in Police custody of a villager who was arrested last night. The District Magistrate of Rajouri has immediately instituted a magisterial inquiry into the case while SSP has placed three cops under suspension.
Noor Hussain, 65, of Choudharinad area had non-bailable warrants against him from a local court in Rajouri and he was required by the Police to be present in the Court. The Police party arrested him last evening and was lodged in a cell of the Rajouri Police station. He developed some complications late last night and was shifted to the District Hospital where he died.
Family members and relatives of Noor Hussain alleged that he was beaten mercilessly and vomited blood several times before breathing his last in the hospital. The Police, however, said that he fell ill in the lockup and consumed some ‘powdery medicine’ which he was carrying along following which his condition deteriorated and was shifted to the hospital where he later died.
Barkat Hussain, a relative of the deceased, said that he was arrested by police in connection with some old land dispute case and was killed in custody by brutal physical torture. He alleged that the Police offered the family rupees 15000 and an employment to one of the family member to cover-up the case but family refused the offer and demand justice. “In the morning one police officer came to our house and ask us to forget about the episode”, Noor Hussain’s son-in-law who was present in the house alleged adding they offered 15000 and service.
Soon after the news of alleged custodial killing spread in the area both Hindus and Muslims came out of there homes and held protest demonstration against police. They blocked the Abdullah Bridge –the only link between two parts of the town –and wanted a judicial probe into the incident.
In view of a flared up situation, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Jai Paul Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Shafqat Wattali rushed to the spot and spoke to agitating villagers and assured them of a thorough probe into the incident.
DC Rajouri JP Singh told Early Times over phone from Rajouri that a magisterial inquiry headed by Additional DC Robin Singh has been initiated to find out fact and added that the inquiry team are directed to file report within 10 days. People also demanded job to kith of the family member of the deceased. They were pacified only after the suspension of cops and magisterial inquiry into the incident.
SSP Rajour Safqat Watali when contacted informed Early Times that a non bail able warrant was issued by the court and since he was to produce in court he was arrested and in the police station he complaint of illness. He was handed over to his brother and a police party rushed him to hospital where he died and added that three police officers including ASI Pritam Singh, Head Constable Karan Singh and a constable Abdul Rashid were placed under suspension.
Meanwhile, in another allegation of custodial death, the Crime Branch Jammu has seized record of Rajbagh Police station in Kathua to work out mysterious death of one Rajinder Kumar. Sources said Rajinder Kumar resident of Madeen was found dead in a nullaha near Sanji Morh in July last year but relatives of the deceased leveled allegation that police had killed him during interrogation in the custody and threw his body in the nullaha. The case has transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation. Crime Branch team led by SSP Crime Branch JP Singh has visited the spot and seized police records for investigation.
As per police records on July 18,2008 Rajbagh police on specific information of bovine smuggling laid a naka in the area and gave halt signal to a vehicle but the driver applied brake ahead of police naka and about 5 persons sitting in the vehicle escaped from the spot. Sensing foul police team also chased them but they managed to escape. After 4th day of the incident body of one Ravinder Kumar was found in a nullaha. “There is a contradiction between the statements of police and family members of the deceased as per family the boy was missing on 19th of July 2008 from house while as police have said that they laid a naka on 18th July. We have seized police records to reach on conclusion”, SSP Crime Branch JP Singh informed. A team of Crime Branch reached on the spot where they found contradiction between statements filed by police and family members. Crime Branch is also quizzing the then police staff posted on that time. Pertinent to mention here that naka was laid by SHO Narinder Singh presently in DPL and SI Amit Singh presently posted as SHO Billawar when the incident occurred.
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