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Saturday, Sep 11, 2004

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Criminal cases against four cops

RAIPUR, SEPT. 10. The Chhattisgarh government has decided to launch criminal proceedings on charges of abetment of suicide against four policemen in connection with the death of a tribal youth in the police lock-up last month.

Announcing the decision at a press conference here late last night, the Chief Minister Raman Singh said assistant sub-inspector Subhash Pradhan, head constable Punnuram Deharia, constables Mahesh Verma and Rohit Verma were suspended and later arrested. Besides, Town inspector of Suhela police station G.P. Mishra and Ms. Usha Sondhiya were also suspended on charges of negligence.

Dr A.P. Nayak and Dr G.S. Som, who conducted the first post-mortem on the deceased, were also suspended and a case had been registered against them on charges of suppressing evidence.

The Chief Minister said the action against policemen and doctors was initiated following report of magisterial inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death of Ramkumar Dhruv inside the Suhela police station lock-up.

Asked whether the tribal youth had died during police torture or he had committed suicide, principal secretary (Home) R.P. Bagai said the magisterial inquiry had found that Ramkumar Dhruv had committed suicide.

About the action of the doctors, he explained that the first post-mortem report had indicated only two injuries on the body while a second post-mortem conducted by a team of five doctors revealed 16 injury marks, indicating that he was beaten up in police custody. However, he said the report indicated that these injuries were not the cause of death.

Dr Raman Singh, however, parried a question as to how a person, who was severely beaten up and had as many as 16 injuries on his body, could make strips from a blanket and use it for committing suicide.

Meanwhile, the government has announced a rehabilitation package for Ramkumar's family. Pointing out that a magisterial inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death had revealed that he had committed suicide after being beaten up in police custody, Dr Singh said a fixed deposit of Rs 5 lakhs would be made in the name of Ramkumar's widow Ms Jethiabai so that she could bring up her three children.

Besides, five acres of farm land in Bhalesur village will be given to her, who will also get a job in Bhatapara municipality. Moreover, she will be provided a house, free of cost, being constructed under the state government's Atal Aawas Yojana. -- UNI

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Criminal cases against four cops