Relief for torture victim’s kin

The sources said that though the inquiry officer, on the basis of a post-mortem report, held that this was a case of suicide, the Commission found it difficult to accept the finding, considering the fact that the handle of the door to which the deceased was alleged to have hanged himself from was just three feet six inches from the ground level. The inquiryofficer had held that the death was not caused on the account of any torture by the police, but was a case of suicide because of the negligence on the part of police personnel.

The report stated that Lama was brought to the police station on June 18, 1996, in connection with a theft case. Constable Doley, who was on sentry duty, found that Bikram Lama hanged himself from the handle of the toilet door with a leather belt.

Sources said that the Deputy Inspector General of the state had informed the commission about Lama’s death on June 18 itself. Based on this, the commission had sent notices to the state government. In response to the notice, the state government submitted its report, enclosing the copies of the magisterial inquiry report, the inquest report and the post-mortem report. The report stated that when the inquest was held, the body was found to be highly decomposed and there were no external injury marks. The post-mortem report said that the death occurred due to hanging from the handle of thedoor.

It added that the body was highly decomposed when the inquest was performed, which would not have been the case if it was done soon after the death. The reason for the decomposition and the delay involved in ordering an inquest was not explained. The report stated that the police officials concerned acted in an negligent manner by allowing the deceased to remain in the cell with a belt.