Duty magistrate assaulted by mob dies,cops yet to act

Anmd now more than a month after the incident the Haryana police have failed to arrest even of the over two dozen assailants. The victim’s wife,Atam,has been meeting senior police officials to seek justice for her deceased husband,but to no avail.

The incident dates back to October 12,when Kumar,a Tehsildar,while acting as the Duty Magistrate had gone to Bahin village in Hathin,Palwal district to record the statement of a girl Lalita Rawat,who had moved a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission,alleging that her family were forcing her to get married against her wishes. She is daughter of Man Singh,an Assistant Sub Inspector in Haryana Police.

Based on the inquiry marked by the NHRC,Kumar was to meet Lalita and record her statement. Deputy SP Rajbir Singh was to accompany Kumar to avert any untoward incident.

When Kumar and the DSP,along with a police party reached Man Singh’s residence,the family resisted and allegedly interfered in the official inquiry. Heated arguments were exchanged between Man Singh’s family and the inquiry officials,after which Kumar came out of the house and sat in his car,while DSP Rajbir Singh and the police party stayed inside. Within a few minutes,nearly two dozen armed persons reached the spot,pulled Kumar out of the vehicle and started beating him mercilessly. Seeing the situation getting out of hand,the DSP and his team fled from the spot. According to Kumar’s wife Atam,he was dragged for a kilometre by the mob.

After beating Kumar for nearly an hour; the mob left him by the side of the road and vanished.

A badly injured Kumar informed the district administration officials,who came to his rescue. Despite a written complaint,the police failed to get a medical examination done on Kumar. Instead,he was told to go home.

When Kumar lodged written complaints against DSP Rajbir Singh and informed the senior officers about the incident,a case was registered against ASI Man Singh,his father,two sons and around 20 unidentified persons,on charges of rioting,criminal intimidation,assault and preventing a person from performing his official duty.

Kumar (55) succumbed to injuries on October 28. Even after this,the state police failed to initiate any action. Atam,while talking to Express ,said,“I had been meeting all the top officials,including the home secretary,director general of police and Palwal superintendent of police,but nobody is bothered about us. Is this the way police functions? The police has not been able to even identify the people,who assaulted my husband,as a result of which he died”.

While the Superintendent of Police (Palwal),Anil Dhawan did not answer his official phone even after repeated calls,the Director General of Police,Haryana,Ranjiv Dalal said,“I will get this inquired into. I am on an official tour,but I shall pass the necessary directions to the concerned officers”.