Police officials taken off duty after man alleges torture by them in police lock-up

A station house officer, an assistant sub-inspector and three constables were taken off duty in Rajasthan's Bundi district on Sunday, a day after a man alleged he and four others were brutally beaten up in lock-up by police.

Station House Officer of Gendoli police station Sub-Inspector Niranjan Meena, Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhanwarlal and constables Mahendra Banjara, Aasaram and Bhagchand have been sent to police line, Bundi SP Mamta Gupta said.

Mahavir Bhatia, 42, a resident of Bhatia Ki Jhopdiya of the district, had on Saturday levelled the allegations at a press conference with a local BJP leader.

Bhatia, who was accompanied by BJP state committee member Rupesh Sharma, had told reporters that Gendoli police station SHO and four other police personnel tortured and thrashed him and four others between August 25 and 29.

 

Bhatia alleged the police personnel tied "my hands and legs with a rope, hanged me downward" and beat him with sticks and heavy beams.

The police personnel would smear sugar and jaggery and release insects on their bodies, he alleged, adding that the SHO would put one of his feet over his face that caused deep injury near his eye.

Former BJP MLA Phralad Gunjal, accompanied by Rupesh Sharma, on Sunday visited Bhatia in the district government hospital where he was admitted on Saturday for medical care and examination.

"If the SHO and four other police personnel are not booked for criminal offense under sections of IPC for having tortured Mahavir and four others in police lock up for days, an indefinite dharna would be started at Bundi district headquarters," Sharma told reporters here.

SHO Meena refuted the charges and said Bhatia is a notorious criminal suspected to be involved in a case of idol theft from Banskheda village.