Cops pick, thrash youths

An internal inquiry has been ordered against three policemen of south Delhi’s R K Puram station for allegedly mercilessly thrashing four youths with sticks after picking them up on Sunday night in connection with a brawl.

The alleged atrocities came to light after the youths were released on bail by a court on Monday.

They showed severe bruises, allegedly inflicted by the policemen in lockup, to their families and locals.

This led to a demonstration outside the police station on Tuesday morning by family members of the alleged victims, locals and Aam Adami Party members.

The demonstrators were pacified only after senior police officers assured them of swift action against the policemen if they were found guilty.

The three accused policemen have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Manoj Kumar and constables Mohit Kumar and Paramveer.

Departmental inquiry

“The three policemen have been sent to police lines and departmental inquiry ordered against them. If found guilty, they will be suspended,” a senior police officer told Deccan Herald.

Bhura, 26, one of the youths who were picked up by police, told Deccan Herald over phone that he and the other alleged victims had just returned from work on Sunday night when he found some neighbours involved in a brawl.

“We knew them personally and did not think it appropriate to inform police.

We intervened and made them end the fight and reach a compromise. But police arrived and picked six of us randomly and took us to police station,” said Bhura.

Apart from Bhura, others allegedly thrashed by police include Saleem, Toni and Rajan. They have been charged with abetment of anything and assembling in large numbers despite orders to disperse.

Like most others in his community at Ekta Vihar, Bhura is a ‘dholwallah’ by profession and beats drums at weddings.

He and the others had just returned from Punjabi Bagh area after performing for a band party.

“At the police station they beat us with sticks and belts on our limbs and sole for two hours continuously. They then sent us for medical tests, brought us back and continued beating my friend Pradeep,” alleged Bhura, adding that the policemen were drunk at the time of the alleged incident.

“We are badly injured. We are not able to stand or walk,” said Bhura.

Despite the inquiry being ordered against him, ASI Manoj Kumar told this newspaper that he was innocent and that it would be proven in the investigations.

“They were fighting among themselves and would have injured each other,” he claimed.

“They were picked up during a fight. So it is possible that they were injured there itself. But I am not ruling out the possibility of the policemen thrashing them at the station,” said a senior DH News Service