Spare the rod: Woman brutally beaten in lock up by cops for 2 days

Investigation officer arrested for detaining woman in morgue and torturing her.

GUJRANWALA:

Police tortured a woman accused of theft after locking her up in a morgue overnight.

According to Rubina, her father-in-law Ashraf Khan accused her of stealing jewellery from his house three days ago. Rubina told reporters that her father-in-law had wanted her to seek a divorce after she was unable to bear children. “I had recently been to a doctor who told me I could not have children but my husband did not leave me. My father-in-law kept trying to get me to seek a divorce but we refused and eventually he accused us of stealing and kicked us out,” she said. Rubina said that Khan had accused her of stealing her own jewellery. “These are jewels I was given in my dowry,” she added.

On Tuesday afternoon, police officials took the couple in for questioning. They soon released Rubina’s husband but kept her at the station. “They beat me severely and tied my hands and feet,” Rubina told reporters. She added that two police officials also tore her clothes and manhandled her. On Tuesday afternoon, Rubina’s brother Arif Khan submitted an application with the local court for her release. “I told them my sister was being tortured and the court ordered a medical check up. Police officials didn’t have the test done but I insisted the medical superintendent conduct the exam,” Arif said.

“I personally examined the girl yesterday and this morning. She has been beaten even more since last night. The cops used an iron roller on her legs and also tried to strangle her,” medical superintendent Captain Zafar Qureshi said. “An iron roller is a road that is placed on the legs and two people mount the rod to crush the tendons and joints. Rubina’s legs have suffered severe damage and there is excessive tissue damage. She may not ever walk properly again,” he said. Qureshi submitted a medical report with the court proving torture.

“They have tortured me for two days. Yesterday they locked me in the morgue and beat me,” Rubina said. “After my brother moved an application before the court they moved me to the mortuary,” she added.

Gurjakh police SHO Iqbal Ojla denied all knowledge of the incident.  Investigative officer Saadul Hasan said that Rubina had fabricated the entire account. “She was tortured but we didn’t do it. She was beaten before we began questioning her. Her father-in-law had hit her. Now she is trying to blame the police,” he said. On Wednesday morning police returned Rubina to her father-in-law but her brother took her to the court. “They were trying to pretend nothing had happened but I took her straight to the court, where a new medical examination was conducted,” Arif said.

Session judge Rasheed Qamar ordered the arrest of Investigation officer Saadul Hasan and a case has been filed against him. Judge Qamar has also ordered an inquiry into the incident, adding that the girl’s father-in-law be taken in for questioning. Rubina is currently in a hospital after she collapsed while her confession was being recorded.



*The victim’s name has been changed to protect her identity



Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2011.