‘ASP hit me with stone, lost four teeth; threatened to cut leg’: Tamil Nadu custodial torture victim

“On March 10 around 1 pm, I was taken to Ambai station. Within some time, some others (who were involved in a brawl) also reached the station. The ASP who was in uniform earlier changed to a track-suit and T-shirt and he wore gloves. He first called Chellappa and Marimuthu inside and I heard their screams. Of the six people in the opposite gang, one was a minor. I was called inside by the ASP. Two policemen held my hands tightly and they were stamping on me with their shoes. They would keep beating me in my buttocks with the lathi if I don’t open my mouth. After I opened my mouth, the ASP rubbed and hit stone against my teeth. I lost four teeth completely and one is half-broken,” Arun Kumar elaborated about the torture.

Arun Kumar alleged that the officer kept thrashing him for two hours in legs, hands and head.

“Despite telling the ASP that I have stitches at the back of my head, he never listened to it and kept beating me in that area. After this we were taken to the VK Puram station. The police threatened us to tell the magistrate that we were not tortured. The ASP told me that if I indulge in hooliganism again, he will break my leg. He told me that if I spoke to anyone about the torture, he will remove my leg and keep it aside,” Kumar said.

He added that the policemen also asked them to clean the blood stains on the floor by themselves.

The victim further alleged that even the doctors did not provide them proper medication.

Arun Kumar’s 17-year-old brother claimed that he was subjected to similar torture when he came to the police station in search of his brother. He said that the police rubbed a big stone against his teeth and further he was beaten with lathis.

The victim’s mother Rajeshwari claimed that the police kept coming to her house to know about her caste and threatened her. They shot a video of her saying that the police did not beat her sons, she said and alleged that the police asked for money to provide food to the victims and also for their transportation.

Tiphange claimed that ASP Singh committed blatant human rights violations and did not follow provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act while dealing with two minors involved in the incident. He said they would file a complaint against the police officers.

“This is a repeat of Sathankulam custodial case. The government has the responsibility to register a case and arrest Balveer Singh,” Tiphange added.

On Wednesday, Chief Secretary K Phanindra Reddy issued orders appointing N Silambarasan, DCP, South, Coimbatore City, as Tirunelveli SP.

It is to be noted that a day ago, bearing the suspension of ASP Singh and placing the district SP P Saravanan on the compulsory waitlist, the additional chief secretary issued directions to place six more officers, including three more inspectors, on vacancy reserve.

As per the order, Inspectors S Chandramohan of Ambasamudram, B Rajakumari of Kallidaikurichi, and A Perumal of Vikramasingapuram police stations have been put on vacancy reserve. Further, Ambasamudram Sub-Division Special Branch Sub-Inspector N Sakthi Natarajan, constable M Santhanakumar and additional Special Branch Constable V Manikandan have also been placed in vacancy reserve.