In a very recent case from U.P., five policemen, including a sub-inspector and four constables, were suspended as an FIR was registered against them on Saturday for allegedly keeping a 20-year-old youth in custody and torturing him as he was suspected of cattle theft in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district.

The incident took place on May 2 when the boy named Rehan, a daily wage earner, was picked up by Kakrala police in Budaun and detained while he was on his way home after work for his alleged links with a group of cattle smugglers, alleged the victim’s relatives in their complaint.
As per the complaint, Rehan remained in custody for several hours and was released only after his family paid a bribe of ₹5000 to the police.

Budaun additional superintendent of police (ASP), Praveen Singh Chauhan said the victim’s family members have met senior superintendent of police (SSP), Budaun, OP Singh two day ago to complain about the matter following which an enquiry was ordered. He said charges of illegal detention and torture were levelled against the Kakrala police outpost in-charge and four constables in the complaint.

He also said that circle officer of Dataganj, Prem Kumar Thapa, who was given the task of carrying out a probe into the May 2 incident, submitted his report on Saturday after which an FIR under relevant sections for illegal confinement, torturing and under the Prevention of Corruption Act were registered against the five policemen. He said the FIR was registered with Alapur police station and further probe into the matter was under way.

The victim’s family alleged that Rehan sustained injuries in his private parts after he was brutally thrashed and given electric shocks in police custody. The victim is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bulandshahar.