The Hindu : New Delhi News : Police Chief orders strict vigil on police stations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 19, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Police Chief orders strict vigil on police stations

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 18. Taking a serious note of the death in custody of 60-year-old Kishan Pal Singh at Shahdara police station in North-East Delhi on Thursday, the Police Commissioner, K.K. Paul, today directed the Joint Commissioner of Police (Vigilance) to intensify vigil on police stations to check recurrence of any such incident in future.

Dr. Paul asked senior officers to carry out strict supervision of the functioning of police stations and monitor the enforcement of the guidelines about measures to be taken while keeping accused persons in lockups and suspects brought to police stations for questioning.

He also instructed them to send across the message to the sub-ordinates that most stringent action, both legal and administrative, would be taken against those found indulging in violent acts. "Already, there are clear guidelines from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Supreme Court which need to be fully observed," said a statement issued by the Police Commissioner's office.

Meanwhile, the driver of the former Shahdara Station House Officer (SHO), Lukman, was also arrested today for his alleged involvement in the "murder" of Kishan.

Earlier on Thursday, the police had arrested Sub-Inspector, Ram Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector, Ramesh, a Tata-407 driver, Shakti, and its owner, K.P. Singh, after they found that Kishan was wrongly confined and tortured.

According to the police, Kishan was detained on Wednesday by a team led by Sub-Inspector Ram Kumar on charges of his involvement in the theft of a Tata-407. Ram Kumar, who happens to be a relative of the complainant, Shakti, and the other accused tortured Kishan throughout the night during questioning. On Thursday afternoon, he complained of uneasiness and fell "unconscious".

Kishan was rushed to a nursing home and then to GTB Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. As soon as the news of death reached them, the police arrested the accused.The police later learnt that Shakti had lodged a false complaint. The post-mortem on Kishan's body was conducted today at GTB Hospital by a panel of three doctors, two from Aruna Asaf Ali and one from Babu Jagjivan Ram hospitals. Subsequently, the body was cremated at Nighamboth Ghat amid slogans demanding severe action against the guilty. The five accused were today produced in a Tis Hazari court which sent them to judicial custody till April 1.

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