4 UP cops booked for custodial torture

Bareilly, Oct 18 (IANS) Four policemen, including a former station in-charge, have been booked for brutally beating and torturing a Dalit man in Bareilly.

The FIR was filed nearly 50 days after the incident following the intervention of a local court, said senior police officials on Wednesday.

According to a senior official, the accused include the former station officer Chetram Verma, sub-inspector Sajjan Singh, constables Ankit, Himanshu Kumar and other unidentified police personnel.

The accused have been booked under section 323 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, 504 for insulting and 506 for criminal intimidation. Additionally, charges have been filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Another police officer said the torture occurred in the police station’s lockup on August 25 when Rishikesh, an employee (Sewadar) at Neelkant Mahadev temple, sought action in his daughter’s elopement case.

“According to the complainant, the accused was of the caste of the then SO Chetram Verma and he beaten him black and blue with the belt and baton instead of recovering his daughter. Other police personnel also tortured him at the behest of Chetram Verma,” stated the FIR.

The official further said that the case is under investigation, with a Deputy Superintendent of Police leading the inquiry.

Further actions will be taken based on the investigation’s findings.