Custodial torture: ‘Torn nails, broken bones’

Jailed activist Shiv Kumar, 24, (left). Pic/Twitter

A medical examination of an activist conducted by Chandigarh-based Government Medical College and Hospital has found two fractures on his hand and foot and some broken nail beds on his toe caused by a "blunt object".

Shiv Kumar, 24, president of Majdoor Adhikar Sanghathan, was arrested a few days after the arrest of labour rights activist Naudeep Kaur in a criminal case for allegedly gheraoing an industrial unit and demanding money from the company in Haryana's Sonipat on January 12. Kumar is a co-accused with Kaur in a criminal case registered by Sonipat police. The Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 19 had directed Sonipat Jail superintendent to get the medical examination of Kumar done after his father alleged that he was brutally tortured by police.

According to a GMCH medical report submitted in the HC on Wednesday, "All the injuries were more than two weeks old and were caused by blunt object/weapon." "Right foot swelling present and tender to touch. Swelling and tenderness on left foot. Nail beds of right 2nd and 3rd toe are broken and underlying skin in reddish in colour and showing healing changes. Left big toe shows blackish discolouration. Nails of left thumb and index finger shows bluish black discoloration with tenderness," it said.

According to a psychiatric evaluation of Kumar, he appeared sad and distressed with occasional crying spells.

According Kumar, who provided information about his case to the five-member medical board of GMCH, he was picked up on January 16 from a protest site at Kundli and was taken to old Kacheri, Sonipat, where the CI (police) staff assaulted him. "His 2nd, 3rd and 5th toe nails of the right foot were torn and nail of big toe of left foot became blue. They also hit him on the buttocks with flat sticks," the report said quoting Kumar, said.

"He was made to lie on the ground with both legs straight and a metal pipe was placed on his thigh and rolled over the thighs by two people."

The Haryana police have described the accusations levelled against it as "baseless".

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