Mohammad Danish, a 19-year-old polytechnic student from the Delhupur area of Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, is in critical condition after being beaten by police while in custody.
According to Danish’s family members, on May 10th, cops stopped him on Ayodhya-Prayagraj Highway for not showing his driving license while he was returning home from Chhitpalgarh market on his motorcycle. The police abused and beat him, including giving him electric shocks, before taking him to the police station.
Danish’s brother has filed a complaint against two unknown police officers and Inspector Ram Anuj Yadav under sections 323, 504, and 308 of the Indian Penal Code at the Delhupur police station, according to an FIR copy accessed by Maktoob.
Danish is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Prayagraj, and an investigation into the incident has been launched by the police.
The departmental procedure is underway for further action, said police. A case has been registered against the accused policemen at the Delhi Pur police station for legal action, it said in a tweet.
Mohsin, elder brother of the survivor said: “If he did not possess a driving license, authorities should have enforced a fine or taken action in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act. However, instead of following due procedure, they resorted to verbally abusing him. Employing abusive language towards him was inappropriate, but out of anger, the constables proceeded to physically assault him.”
Recalling the incident, he stated, “Upon receiving this information, I immediately accompanied several lawyers and local journalists to the police station, where we could hear distressing screams emanating from within.”
He further recounted, “Initially, they denied us entry, but as soon as I revealed that he was my brother, the screaming abruptly ceased. Subsequently, the police officers escorted him outside, claiming that he had experienced bouts of unconsciousness. I objected, as such episodes had never occurred in his life before. Upon approaching him and inspecting his body, I observed numerous visible injuries. I inquired if they had subjected him to physical assault, to which they denied it. However, one officer confessed that my brother had been slapped a few times due to his alleged rudeness. I rebutted, asserting that a few slaps could not have inflicted such extensive damage on his now emaciated frame, bearing numerous marks on his chest and face. The police officers departed without providing any explanation.”
“The Superintendent of Delhupur Police Station subsequently arrived and instructed the Community Health Center to dispatch a doctor for his treatment. The attending physician expressed concern over his critical condition and recommended transferring him elsewhere. Consequently, we transported him to a private hospital in Moema, which then referred him to Prayagraj,” he concluded.
