Internal injuries on head, lungs killed Taniam: Cops

Autopsy report rules out poisoning, drug overdose

The post-mortem report of Nido Taniam submitted in the High Court by Delhi Police on Monday, confirmed that the 19-year-old died due to internal head and lung injuries, allegedly suffered during the assault in south-east Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar last month. The report stated that there were nine external injuries on Taniam’s body.

The three arrested accused will now face murder charges as well. Earlier, they were charged under the Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The FIR had listed a murder charge, but against ‘unknown persons’.

The report also contained the toxicology report of the CBI’s Central Forensic Science Laboratory. Sources said the toxicology report ruled out poisoning or drug overdose as the cause of Taniam’s death.

“The post-mortem report says there were nine external injuries on the body of the deceased and he died due to severe head-and-lung injuries,” a counsel for Delhi Police told a Bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.

Taniam, a BSc student at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, succumbed to his injuries after being assaulted by some shopkeepers of the Lajpat Nagar market on January 29.

Taniam was the son of Nido Pavitra, a Congress MLA and Parliamentary Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Arunachal Pradesh government.

The shopkeeper had allegedly made fun of Taniam’s ‘blonde’ hairstyle and passed racist remarks at him. In his anger, he broke a glass counter of the shop and was allegedly beaten twice by the shopkeeper and his friends at different periods. After a ‘compromise’ by police, Taniam went to his sister’s house and was found dead the next day.

The Delhi High Court had on February 5 and February 7 criticised Delhi Police for not submitting Taniam’s post-mortem report. Police had told the court that they were awaiting the viscera and toxicology report.

On Monday, the court also asked the Union Home Ministry to submit guidelines by Tuesday that could be used for the safety of northeast people staying in Delhi.

“We cannot close our eyes and say everything is fine. Mr Mehra (Rajeev Mehra, the Additional Solicitor General who represented the MHA) prepare a draft guideline and give that to us tomorrow. Some fear must be there. Please ask police to do something,” said the Bench, while referring to the increase in the number of crimes against the northeast people.

The court also said the Union Home Ministry should consider appointing people from the northeast in Delhi Police, as it would help them in highlighting their grievances in a better manner.

“Once you appoint them in Delhi Police, they will help the persons from the northeast. They speak good English. Already they are feeling neglected, alienated and exploited. It is very dangerous,” said the Bench.