For torturing army aspirant in custody, two cops suspended

“An inquiry is being conducted by the Additional District Magistrate, who has been asked to submit the report within one month. As per the initial reports, the boy did not have any criminal record. Although I have not come across any paper, it was being said that he was an aspirant for recruitment in Army. The medical report, in which it was alleged that he was made to swallow some wire, has also been brought before us. A detailed inquiry will reveal the truth and action would be taken accordingly,” the DM said.

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The DM said that the victim’s family had written to various agencies, including the National Human Rights Commission, but the district administration took cognisance of the matter on its own after a complaint was received.

DIG (Azamgarh Range), Prashant Kumar, however, said they cannot rule out the possibility of the youth being involved in the said crime.

“Three names had cropped up during investigations into the loot and murder case. Two of them, belonging to Azamgarh, had criminal history. Gyanesh was found to be their associate. Not having criminal record is one thing. But, we cannot rule out the possibility of him being involved, as he may have been able to escape police action earlier. As far as his being an Army aspirant is concerned, we do not have any concrete evidence of him having cleared any such examination,” the DIG said.

Asked about the complaint of alleged torture by the policemen, in which the victim was allegedly forced to swallow some wires, Kumar said: “It is a matter of investigation. However, in so far as the conduct of policemen are concerned, they helped him by taking him to hospital, along with his father, in Varanasi and, thereafter, to Lucknow. I cannot comment any more on this case, as a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered”.

A jeweller, Kamlesh Verma, was shot dead and robbed of valuables by unidentified persons on March 24 at Ahirana under Dohri Ghat police station area of the district. The police was probing the matter. It was alleged that the SWAT team picked up Gyanesh, son of Ganga Rai, a farmer living in Farsara Khurd village under Ghosi police station, on April 9 and brought him to Ghosi police station.

It was alleged that Gyanesh was kept in custody without arrest and was tortured by SWAT team in-charge Anand Singh (S-I) and constable Rajesh Singh. When his condition deteriorated, the police informed his father.

Samajwadi Party national secretary Rajeev Rai claimed that he got Gyanesh admitted to a private hospital in Varanasi. “When his condition did not improve, we took him to KGMU trauma centre, Lucknow. There, it came to light that two to three pieces of copper wire of varying lengths were found in his food pipe. When I tried to confront some police officials, they claimed that Gyanesh had swallowed it on his own,” said Rai, talking to The Indian Express.

The SP leader said the doctors suspected that copper wires of 3-5 inch were shoved down Gyanesh’s throat. “If they had any evidence against him, they should have arrested him and produce before the magistrate within 24 hours,” he added.