The Mumbai police on Monday ordered an inquiry into the alleged thrashing of two Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) students by a police officer at Govandi police station. The enquiry will be conducted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The students were thrashed on charges of involvement in a theft of two laptops and a mobile phone from their hostel in Govandi. The accused police official, Sub-Inspector S.M. Surve, pleaded innocence saying the allegation is false. “They came to the police station to register their complaint, and we let them go after one or two hours after recording their statements and making inquiries about the theft,” he said.
However, Fahad Ansari, 24, roommate of both Mohammed Sadiqe and Sushil Kumar (the victims) and a witness of the episode, said the inspector kicked Mr. Sadiqe in front of him, and he heard cries of both the victims, who were seemingly being thrashed, after he was dismissed by the officer. He said: “When I entered the room I saw Sadiqe and Sushil on the ground, badly beaten up. The inspector kicked Sadiqe on the side of his buttocks while I was in the room.”
Mr. Surve said the students made up the story, “probably because we were suspecting one of the two students for the theft.”
On Sunday night, DCP Shahaji Umap (zone 6) visited the Surjog hostel in Govandi, where the theft took place and where the victims lived, at around 11 pm along with the Senior Police Inspector Uttam Kolekar and Mr. Surve. He enquired about the theft, and took oral statements of the witnesses who saw the incident but did not speak, or call for the victims.
Mr. Umap told The Hindu he is looking into the matter. “We can’t say as of now whether the students were beaten up. That will only be discovered once the investigation is completed. We will submit the report to the higher authorities according to our findings.” He said, as of now, Mr. Surve is still on duty at Govandi police station, and is still in charge of the case. Senior Police Inspector at Govandi police station, Uttam Kolekar said there is no evidence to conduct an enquiry, except the witnesses’ statements. However, The Hindu is in possession of medical documents and pictures that show the students were beaten up.
