In a shocking incident of alleged police brutality, a 42-year-old farmer in Agra was subjected to severe torture, resulting in broken legs and multiple injuries, after being summoned for questioning in a four-month-old murder case. The Agra police commissioner has suspended the involved personnel and ordered a high-level probe.
Brutal Interrogation on Police Station Terrace
The victim, Raju Sharma, a farmer and father of two, was called to the Kirawali police station on Sunday evening along with his father and brother. The police were investigating the murder of retired Armyman Balveer Singh, who was killed by unknown persons in Karhara village on August 5.
Instead of a routine questioning, Sharma alleged he was taken to the terrace of the police station. There, Sub-Inspector Dharmveer Singh and constable Ravi Malik tied him up, hung him upside down, and caned him brutally for over an hour to extract a confession. "The cops forced me to name myself in the murder case," Sharma recounted from his hospital bed. "They broke at least five canes on my back and limbs."
Hospitalization and Attempted Cover-Up
After Sharma lost consciousness from the torture, he was quietly taken to Kirawali hospital through the police station's back gate, without informing his family. When relatives found him the next day, they were horrified to see both his legs broken. Medical reports confirmed ligament fractures near the ankles, bruises, and swellings across his body.
Sharma's father, Radhey Shyam, alleged a clear cover-up attempt. "I kept asking the SHO, but he only said my son suffered minor injuries after slipping inside the thana," he said. "The next morning, cops trying to cover up the matter offered us Rs 10,000."
Suspensions, Transfers, and NHRC Complaint
Following the family's complaint, Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar took swift action. He suspended Kirawali SHO Neeraj Singh, SI Dharmveer Singh, and constable Ravi Malik. A departmental inquiry was initiated. Additionally, ACP Achhnera Rampravesh Gupta was removed from his post and transferred to the traffic police department.
Commissioner Kumar admitted, "This incident should not have happened." A probe led by Additional Police Commissioner Ram Badan Singh, a DIG-rank official, is underway, with a report expected in two weeks.
Meanwhile, Agra-based lawyer and human rights activist Naresh Paras has sent a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). "A case should be registered against the ‘culprits' for custodial torture, and they should be sent to jail," Paras demanded, calling for adequate compensation for the victim's family.
