Pressure to retract complaints, claim Tamil Nadu custodial torture victims: Report

Days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced the suspension of IPS officer Balveer Singh after accusations of custodial torture by the policeman, several victims in the case have said that they are under police pressure to retract their statements, a report in the Indian Express said.

Police have denied the allegations and a high level inquiry in the case is on.

According to the report, the victims are being pressured to "settle" the matter through direct negotiations, lawyers, or relatives.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu ASP accused of torturing people placed under suspension

Singh, Assistant Superintendent of Police of the Ambasamudram sub-division, Tirunelveli district, was suspended on Wednesday after pictures and videos of the alleged victims of Singh’s torture went viral on social media.

One of the victims, named Chellappa, said in a video that Singh changed into a T-shirt, track pants and white gloves from uniform and called him into a room. The officer then tortured him, using a stone to break his teeth. Chellappa alleged that Singh also broke the teeth of five others using similar methods. When Chellappa pleaded with the officer to not harm his recently-married brother, Singh crushed his brother’s testicles and stomped on his chest.

So far, thirteen men have accused Singh of such torture but the number could be as high as forty, Indian Express reported quoting officials and victims.

Another victim, an auto driver named Vetha Narayanan, alleged that he was taken to the first floor of the Vikramasingapuram police station and then tortured by Singh. He accused Singh of pulling out his teeth. Narayanan also told Indian Express that he was again taken to the police station recently, where he was told to retract his earlier complaint. Narayanan refused.

Also Read | U-turn in TN custodial torture: Victim says teeth were broken after a fall

While some have resisted alleged attempts by cops to pressurise them, some have caved in: one of the victims, a 22-year-old man Surya, had alleged torture first and then changed his statement, saying that he had lost his teeth after a fall.

After allegations of torture went viral on social media, sparking outrage, Singh was first removed from his post with a probe being ordered, and was later suspended on Stalin’s directive.