Ambala, October 15
Two dalit youths were picked by the Haryana police late last night and taken to a police post, where they were kept in illegal confinement. While the body of one of them was found near the railway
track in the morning, the whereabouts of the other are not known.
The police has constituted six teams to trace the missing youth. A case has been registered against the in charge of the police post No 2 and two other policemen. The entire staff of the police post has been suspended.
Residents of Ravi Das Basti alleged that late last night police picked 24-year-old Ram Kumar and his friend Vikram on flimsy grounds and kept them in illegal confinement in the police post throughout the night. No case was registered against them.
Their friends and relatives had pleaded with the police to release the two.
The body of Ram Kumar was found today near
the railway tracks with iron chains tied to one of his legs.
The whereabouts of Vikram, who was to be married on October 17, are not known.
The death of the youth sparked protests in the city. Residents of the Ravi Dass Basti laid siege to the police post number 2 alleging murder of the two youths at the hands of the police.
Father of the deceased Babu Ram, who is a labourer, said that the police had taken away his son and another youth Vikram. They were kept in illegal custody. He said when he got information this morning that the body of a youth was found near the railway track near railway station, he rushed there. He found the body of his son.
Police said the youths had escaped from the police custody. But the relatives of the deceased dismissed the theory.
DCP Vinod Kaushik said on a formal complaint filed by the father of the deceased, a case under section 302 (murder), 201(causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed), 342 (wrongfully confining any person) of the IPC against had been registered against the in charge of police post No 2 Satbir Hooda and two other police officials. Besides, entire six-member staff of the police post has been placed under suspension.
In his complaint, father of the deceased alleged that his son and Vikram had been picked up by police for questioning. The two were kept in illegal confinement. When he went to the police post, the police refused to disclose their whereabouts to him. The body of his son was recovered from near the railway track in the morning. He claimed that his son’s leg was tied with an iron chain. This proved that he was tortured in police custody.
Commissioner of Police Rajbir Deswal said besides registering a case and suspension of the entire staff of police post No 2, they had asked for a magisterial probe by the SDM along with a judicial inquiry against the policemen. Six special teams of the police have been constituted to find out Vikram.
Ramesh Mal, Mayor of Ambala Municipal Corporation, along with the agitated crowd sat on a dharna in front of the police post. Deputy Commissioner KM Pandurang assured the agitators of prompt action and adequate compensation following which which the agitators agreed to disburse.
