If your son was beaten to death by the police, would you have kept quiet?
SUJAY GUPTA
Cipriano Fernandes’ relatives are asking this to all of us. As we move on with our lives, a family has been charred and scarred and will never ever come to terms with the fact that deranged policemen of the Panjim police station- as evidence strongly suggests-assaulted him in a manner which led to his death.
As your newspaper, Herald, reported, autopsy reports confirm six injuries on Cyprian’s body, a visible evidence that the force used exceeded that reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful police purpose.
And what did we do. Get on with our lives.
Here are at least three policemen with blood on their hands, either by their direct acts or being in a supervisory position which allowed these acts to go on unchecked. Police Inspector Sandesh Chodankar, Police Sub Inspector Vijay Chodankar and at least one constable, Sandeep Shivaikar.
The cowards are now hiding behind a magisterial inquiry, scared to even inform who else was on duty or in that grey Bolero jeep which picked up Cipriano on the fateful night of January 7. From the time he was picked up, on the basis of a complaint made by his woman friend, the police have committed one illegal act after another, compounding it with apparent lies. The victim of police brutality was sent to Goa Medical College on the morning of January 8, because he was apparently vomiting alcohol which he had consumed the previous night! This defies logic. As does everything else.
And what did we do? Get on with our lives.
The woman who filed the complaint has revealed that while she sat on the front seat of the privately hired jeep by the complainant (please note this and let’s ask was it so urgent that the cops went in a jeep hired by a complainant to arrest someone), she heard Cipriano plead with the cops not to torture him. By the time the journey to Panjim from Porvorim was complete, he fell silent. Then the complainant states that she saw a big belt being taken into the police station even as Cipriano, perhaps unconscious, was dragged in.
And going by his injuries, it’s obvious that the “wrong” arm of the law, beat him further.
And what did we do. Get on with our lives.
The Panjim police rightfully faces the charge of violating the law. Violating human rights is a given. It mingles in their DNA. Brutality, inhuman behaviour, degrading treatment and cruelty by the police is punishable. And punished they must be.
The sheer arrogance of raping the law led to perhaps even the basics being ignored. Was Cipriano medically examined before his arrest? Was his medical report (if any) jointly signed by the investigating officer and the accused? Was even one of the family members officially informed of the arrest on the day of his arrest?
And what did we do. Get on with our lives.
Your newspaper demands that all of us start the fight to get Justice for Cipriano. I don’t know who he is, I don’t know if he is a criminal or an innocent. But what I do know, and probably all of you do too, is that a fit and healthy man, picked up in complete haste was beaten and died due to being tortured in police custody. Even criminals deserve better. By law.
It is the same police force which allows a man charged with running a notorious drug racket to frolic with his girlfriend in a room next to the chief of Anti Narcotics, when under arrest, which beats a man enough to make him die, on a simple complaint of threatening and bad social behaviour under the influence of alcohol.
We will deal with the drug crooks in khaki very soon, but for now let’s get on to the streets. If Justice for Jessica Lal, a model murdered by the son of a Haryana politician was fuelled by the joint fight of the media and the people, let us campaign for Justice for Cipriano. To start with, we demand the suspension and arrest of the policemen on duty on January 7, especially those who went to arrest him. This should be followed up by a clear and honest exposure of all the facts.
Herald will carry on this campaign. If all of us are done with getting on with our lives, may I call upon you to write in, with your thoughts on the road ahead in the Justice for Cipriano campaign. Next Sunday, we shall devote a full page to carry all your responses. And then plan the next course of action.
Please mail your responses to , with “JUSTICE FOR CIPRIANO” on the subject line, or write in to us at the Herald office.
Remember every word that you write or every act that you do to fight for Cipriano, is an insurance against your child dying a bloody death at the hands of those who are meant to protect the law.
Weekend Editor
