04-28-2006, 07:49 AM
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Marriage brings misery for Dalitâs family
Tribune News Service
Batala, April 26
Marrying a Muslim girl from Srinagar against the wishes of her family has brought misery to the family of Vikramjit Singh, a Dalit youth belonging to the city. His teenaged brother, Kuljinder Singh, was allegedly tortured in illegal police custody, his other brother Ranjeet Singh, who lives in the Srinagar, is missing. The couple has gone underground.
Facing the brunt of cops and the girlâs family is Kamlesh, the mother of Vikramjit Singh. The hapless mother is attending to her youngest son, Kuljinder Singh, at the civil hospital here. Kuljinder had to be admitted to the hospital after being tortured by Srinagar police.
Talking to The Tribune she said after the death of her husband her two sonsâ Vikramjit Singh and Ranjeet Singhâhad moved to Srinagar. They were working there as carpenters.
Vikramjit Singh fell in love with a Muslim girl, Abhita Rehman Sheikh, who lived in his neighbourhood. The girlâs father is a constable. On March 26 this year the couple came to Batala. As the girl was pregnant the boyâs family solemnised their marriage. Apprehending a threat to their lives from the girlâs family the couple moved an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking protection later they moved to an undisclosed place.
Later, the girlâs mother, father and a cousin came to Vikramjitâs house and asked his family to hand over the girl to them. Kamlesh told the girlâs family that they were not aware of the whereabouts of the couple. However, late in the evening cops from Srinagar barged into their house and assaulted Kamlesh and Kuljinder Singh.
Later, they took 16-year- old, Kuljinder Singh, to Batala City Police Station and kept him in illegal custody. Kuljinder Singh, said he was tortured by the Srinagar police while Punjab police cops present at the station remained mute spectators.
Kuljinder has bruises all over his body. He was released from the police station after the intervention of some local BSP leaders.
However, Kuljinderâs mother is apprehensive about the fate of her other son, Ranjeet Singh, who is working in Srinagar. She alleged that after the cops raided their house they have been trying to contact Ranjeet Singh but have not succeeded so far. She feared that Ranjeet might have been ââeliminatedââ by the Srinagar police ââthe Punjab police should try to locate him in Jammu and Kashmirââ, she demanded.
The SSP, Batala, Mr L.K Yadav, said the Srinagar police was looking for Vikramjeet Singh as it had procured an arrest warrant against him from a court in Srinagar. A case under Section 366 of the IPC has been registered against Vikramjit by the Srinagar police.
However, the Srinagar cops did not inform the Punjab Police about the arrest of Vikramjeetâs younger brother and his alleged torture at Batala city police station, he added. A DSP level officer has been directed to inquire into the role of cops who had tortured Kuljinder Singh. A case would be registered against J&K and Punjab police cops if they were found guilty in the inquiry report, he said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Marriage brings misery for Dalitâs family
Tribune News Service
Batala, April 26
Marrying a Muslim girl from Srinagar against the wishes of her family has brought misery to the family of Vikramjit Singh, a Dalit youth belonging to the city. His teenaged brother, Kuljinder Singh, was allegedly tortured in illegal police custody, his other brother Ranjeet Singh, who lives in the Srinagar, is missing. The couple has gone underground.
Facing the brunt of cops and the girlâs family is Kamlesh, the mother of Vikramjit Singh. The hapless mother is attending to her youngest son, Kuljinder Singh, at the civil hospital here. Kuljinder had to be admitted to the hospital after being tortured by Srinagar police.
Talking to The Tribune she said after the death of her husband her two sonsâ Vikramjit Singh and Ranjeet Singhâhad moved to Srinagar. They were working there as carpenters.
Vikramjit Singh fell in love with a Muslim girl, Abhita Rehman Sheikh, who lived in his neighbourhood. The girlâs father is a constable. On March 26 this year the couple came to Batala. As the girl was pregnant the boyâs family solemnised their marriage. Apprehending a threat to their lives from the girlâs family the couple moved an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking protection later they moved to an undisclosed place.
Later, the girlâs mother, father and a cousin came to Vikramjitâs house and asked his family to hand over the girl to them. Kamlesh told the girlâs family that they were not aware of the whereabouts of the couple. However, late in the evening cops from Srinagar barged into their house and assaulted Kamlesh and Kuljinder Singh.
Later, they took 16-year- old, Kuljinder Singh, to Batala City Police Station and kept him in illegal custody. Kuljinder Singh, said he was tortured by the Srinagar police while Punjab police cops present at the station remained mute spectators.
Kuljinder has bruises all over his body. He was released from the police station after the intervention of some local BSP leaders.
However, Kuljinderâs mother is apprehensive about the fate of her other son, Ranjeet Singh, who is working in Srinagar. She alleged that after the cops raided their house they have been trying to contact Ranjeet Singh but have not succeeded so far. She feared that Ranjeet might have been ââeliminatedââ by the Srinagar police ââthe Punjab police should try to locate him in Jammu and Kashmirââ, she demanded.
The SSP, Batala, Mr L.K Yadav, said the Srinagar police was looking for Vikramjeet Singh as it had procured an arrest warrant against him from a court in Srinagar. A case under Section 366 of the IPC has been registered against Vikramjit by the Srinagar police.
However, the Srinagar cops did not inform the Punjab Police about the arrest of Vikramjeetâs younger brother and his alleged torture at Batala city police station, he added. A DSP level officer has been directed to inquire into the role of cops who had tortured Kuljinder Singh. A case would be registered against J&K and Punjab police cops if they were found guilty in the inquiry report, he said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->