| Moral policing? Third degree still a reality at police stations | |||
|
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| The
same Fort police station that was responsible for the death of a
detainee Udayakumar in October because of third degree methods has once
again been caught in controversy following the alleged torture of
Sudha, a 28-year-old Dalit woman. This time it was three women
constables who were accused of inflicting injuries on the body of
victim in custody. The Home Minister was forced to order an inquiry
following widespread public anger, complaints from relatives and human
rights activists. As part of the inquiry, the three women police
constables were suspended. |
|||
| After
the death of Udayakumar in October following police torture, law
enforcers themselves had unearthed evidences of brutal torture being
adopted at the police station. A team led by the Assistant Police
Commissioner who investigated the death had recovered the galvanised
iron pipe used for inflicting injuries, as found on both the thighs of
victim Udayakumar. The iron pipe was of one-metre long and was nine-cm
in diameter. Two policemen were arrested for the crime. Still, many
allege that third degree methods are being used widely in various
police stations of the State. Torture implements ranging from iron
pipes to wooden rods were used against the persons arrested, it has
been found. |
|||
| In
another recent incident, the police personnel at the Medical College
police station were accused of chasing a person, named Rajesh, who died
amid his attempt to escape capture. There were allegations that the
police personnel had thrown stones at the victim. Five policemen were
suspended following a preliminary inquiry by Thiruvananthapuram
District Collector N Ayappan. |
|||
| South
Zone IG Arun Kumar Sinha said the policy of the police was clear-cut
that third degree methods should never be adopted. "We have given
strict orders not to use third degree methods for questioning," he
said. The reported cases were an aberration, he added. |
|||
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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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