PANJIM: The Goa State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has recommended that Goa Police initiate action against Police Inspector Rajesh Kumar and former Mapusa police personnel, who were involved in using excessive force against a mother-son duo during an investigation of alleged dowry harassment in 2011.
Raya Karapurkar and his mother Sushma Karapurkar had moved the commission seeking justice after the then Mapusa police had allegedly physically tortured them and denied them medical treatment.
As per their joint complaint, a police team – some of whom were not in uniform – attacked him with a knife and assaulted his mother. The duo was subsequently arrested based on a complaint filed by Raya’s wife Vinita of dowry harassment, earlier.
The complainants alleged that they were subjected to brutality in the police jeep and thereafter at Mapusa police station, and were denied immediate medical treatment despite serious injuries. “PI Kumar came to the police station and ordered the staff to beat the complainant (Raya). The staff assaulted with slaps and punches and later PI also assaulted him with belt. The PI then directed the staff to handcuff his hands while taking him to Bambolim,” the commission’s inquiry reveals while conducting hearing into the case.
The ill-treatment was such that after the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour pointed out injuries advising the police to shift him back to Asilo hospital, the police decided to admit him to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim only to change their direction to Mapusa police station. “During the return journey, the policemen forcibly poured beer in his mouth and abused him. They did not even remove the handcuffs,” the report reads.
The two victims were released on bail a day after the arrest following which they approached the commission seeking justice.
