By Darshan Devaiah BP
The Karnataka Police on Sunday suspended a police sub-inspector (PSI) in Chikmagalur district who had allegedly forced a Dalit youth to drink urine at Gonibeedu police station in Mudigere taluk two weeks ago.
The incident came to light after the youth wrote to senior police officers seeking action against the PSI. Based on the complaint filed by Punith K L, a resident of Kirangunda, the Gonibeedu police registered a case against PSI Arjun.
On May 10 morning, Punith was picked by Gonibeedu police after a few villagers gave an oral complaint that the youth was responsible for the marital discord between a husband and his wife in the village.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Punith, 22, who identified himself as a scheduled caste, alleged that the police beat him up for hours. When asked for water to drink, the PSI first refused but later allegedly forced another person in the lock-up to urinate on Punith.
“When I requested for water, the PSI refused to give me water and asked another person who was in lockup to urinate on me. Chethan, the other inmate who had been arrested for theft, refused initially. But he was forced to urinate on me by the police,” Punith alleged.
“Chethan was also threatened by cops that he would also be subjected to torture if he does not urinate on me and also the police officer made me lick the urine on the floor of the lockup,” Punith added.
According to Punith, without a formal complaint against him, police allegedly tortured him but freed him on the same night.
Following Punith’s complaint, Chikmagalur SP Akshay Hakay Machhindra ordered a preliminary inquiry into the incident. DySP of Chikmagalur sub-division who was the enquiry officer recorded Punith’s statement.
Machhindra told indianexpress.com, “The case has been now handed over to the CID and the case will be enquired by the DSP of Puttur sub-division in the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada district. Investigation is still going on.”
“The case has been booked on under sections of the IPC related to wrongful confinement, causing hurt, torture, wrongful confinement to extort a confession, besides the provisions under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” Machhindra added.
This story was first appeared on indianexpress.com