Narrating the “inhuman treatment” meted out to the victims, including minors, in the Ambasamudram “custodial torture” case, the family of the victims belonging to a Scheduled Caste said they would lodge a complaint against the suspended IPS officer, Balveer Singh, and other police officers involved in the case.
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In a press meet held by People’s Watch here on Wednesday, K. Rajeswari said her elder son K. Arun Kumar and her younger son, a minor, were subjected to inhuman treatment by the police. The two, along with a few others, were picked up by the police for an inquiry in an attempt to murder case.
She said her sons were beaten up mercilessly at the police station. The police demanded money from her to buy food for the victims and also to transport them in cabs. Even after the inquiry, the local police officers kept coming to their house and inquired about their caste, she said, adding that the family members were told not to reveal anything to anyone.
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The police also shot a video of her saying that her sons were not beaten up by the police, Ms. Rajeswari said.
Mr. Arun Kumar said the police, led by the suspended IPS officer, took the victims one by one to a room and beat them up mercilessly. He said gravel stones were stuffed in his mouth. Even though he already had a cut injury on his head, he was beaten up on the head.
The police crushed the testicles of two persons. Even two minors, his brother and brother’s friend, were beaten up by the police, he said. Later, they were given buckets of water and asked to clean the blood stains at the police station, he said.
Mr. Arun Kumar said while producing them before the Cheranmahadevi Judicial Magistrate for remand, the police told them not to disclose the beatings. He had to take pain reliever, without which he could not eat or sleep, he said. His brother also shared his ordeal at the press meet. Their father, a government employee, was also present.
People’s Watch Executive Director Henri Tiphagne said key provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were not followed by the authorities. He said an FIR should be registered against the police officers involved in the case and appropriate action taken against them.