Security men turn tormentors

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi, Bhopal, September 24, 2011

A blind man was beaten to death in Railway Protection Force (RPF) custody and police brutally assaulted a mentally challenged man in public in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. 

At Harda, 160 km south of Bhopal, Kripa Ram, a blind vendor of books and eatables on trains, was allegedly beaten to death at the RPF police station.

According to sources, RPF constable AK Chatterjee had an argument with Ram, 40, and roughed him up. Ram retaliated and bit Chatterjee, who dragged him away to the police station where he was beaten. Later, Ram succumbed to injuries.

Deputy superintendent of police (Railways) Irmeen Shah said Chatterjee was booked for murder and arrested.

The assault on the mentally challenged man, Ram Krishna Agarwal, 35, occurred in Satna, around 380 km east of the state capital.

Video of  mentally challenged man, Ram Krishna Agarwal being beaten up by Police in Satna: http://youtu.be/i_ftcR6ZLYU

Agarwal was thrashed with batons, tied up and dragged by policemen led by inspector BS Jaggi for allegedly carrying a sickle, which had led local traders to complain to the police. The traders feared Agarwal could attack someone.

Inspector general of police (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar Soni said Jaggi was suspended on Friday. "An inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances in which the incident occurred," Soni said.

The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission has sought the suspension of all the police officials involved in the assault on Agarwal.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Securitymen-turn-tormentors/Article1-749465.aspx