M A I N   N E W S

Mahant alleges police torture
Baseless story, says SSP
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, Jan 16 — Karamjit Singh, a mahant working at Gurdwara Dhab Sar at Jadsipauwali village in the district was allegedly tortured by the Barnala police for performing the “anand karaj” of a Dalit boy with a girl belonging to a Jat Sikh family.

In a complaint made to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, Karamjit Singh alleged that he was picked up by a CIA team of Barnala on January 3 from his native village Banginihalsinghwala.

He added that he along with Fateh Singh was taken to the CIA police station where his clothes were removed and given electric shocks.

He was forced to make a call to a gurdwara to tell the people there that he was busy with some work and would come after two days.

Afterwards, he was taken to various places in Rajasthan in search of one Ranjit Singh, who had gone to Bikaner for getting his mother treated for cancer. After that he was brought back to the CIA police station.

On January 6, he was beaten up again. On the same day when his brother along with the village panchayat approached the police, they demanded Rs 20,000 for his release.

He alleged that he underwent third degree torture. He added that he had performed the “anand karaj” as both were adults and the ceremony was performed in the presence of the family of the boy and elder sister of girl about two months ago.

He urged the Punjab State Human Rights Commission to take necessary action against the guilty police officials. He said he was released only when Mr N.K. Jeet, president, Lok Morcha, Punjab, sent telegrams regarding his plight to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission and District and Sessions Judge, Sangrur.

Mr Ajaib Singh, SSP, Barnala, when contacted said Karamjit Singh had cooked up a baseless story to cover up his own misdeeds and to escape legal action.

He added that a criminal case of abduction of the same girl had been registered against Karamjit Singh and four others. He added that all accused had abducted the girl from the village and police was yet to recover the girl.

He added that the police had been raiding the premises of all accused and no one had been arrested so far. He denied the torture of Karamjit Singh by the police. He said the accused was doing to preempt the police move.