Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 21: Allegedly, a youth who was being treated at a hospital after having been attacked by a gang at Amai, Bantwal, was taken away by the police and tortured in the police station. The victim is stated to be Abdurrahman (28), resident of Puriya in Perne village of Bantwal taluk.
It is said that Abdurrhman was coming from Vittal on June 18, when fuel in his three-wheeler dried up at Amai. When he was going towards a petrol bunk to fetch fuel, a few members of a gang that was discussing some issues, questioned him. Allegedly they then hurled abusive words at him besides attacking him. Abdurrahman says that after sometime more members came and attacked him.
Rahman was admitted into the government hospital at Puttur by some locals. Reportedly, police personnel from Puttur station arrived at the hospital at around 7 pm the same day and took him away without giving him any information. After making him wait at the town station he was taken to the rural police station and on the way, he was assaulted inside the jeep. After reaching the rural police station, he was again beaten up till midnight, resulting in pain in limbs, blood clots and deficient hearing, it is said.
Rahman's elder brother, Ashraf said that the family was not informed about Rahman having been discharged from the government hospital and taken to the police station. He has claimed that after the family contacted the advocate, Rahman was released on bail on June 19. He said that after observing that Rahman was unable to properly walk and he had hearing problems, he was admitted into a private hospital in the city at 9 pm the same evening. Rahman has demanded action against the accused, who have been identified as Sanath, gram panchayat member of Kadeshivalaya village and Manoj from Karla in Perne village. He said that a few others had also beaten him up.
It is said that after the incident, accused Sanath, along with a few others, came to Rahman's residence and threatened the family. Ashraf says that Rahman's sister went to the police station to file a complaint about this incident, but she was made to wait there from 7 pm to 12 midnight.
Police sub-inspector of Bantwal rural station, Prasanna, said that friction had happened between the two gangs and a case was registered. Contradicting the claims of the concerned, he explained that a person had been taken into custody and produced in court, after which he secured release on bail immediately. He asserted that the accused was questioned in his station but not tortured. "If he was tortured, he could have said so in the open court in the presence of the judge when he was produced. Instead, they are making baseless allegations after coming out," he commented.