INSEC Madhesh Province Office on April 15 monitored the incident involving Mohammad Isan, 30, of Golbazar Municipality–7, where he was allegedly tortured by police while in custody at the Area Police Office, Golbazar.
The monitoring was jointly carried out by INSEC Madhesh Province Coordinator Raju Paswan, INSEC Siraha representative Durga Pariyar, and Human Rights Protection Center Network Siraha Coordinator, as well as Mukti Nepal Chairperson Devkumari Mahar.
The victim Isan has alleged that on April 10, at around 12 noon, while loading passengers at Golbazar Chowk, a silver bangle worn by a girl accidentally came into his hand. After the girl’s mother created a commotion, police from the Area Police Office took him under control and beat him. He said, “Even when I told them not to beat me as I was sick and that I had made a mistake, they continued beating me.” He further stated that he was later taken to the detention room at night, handcuffed, and tortured with boots, sticks, kicks, and punches while being repeatedly asked, “Where did you steal the gold?” He said he was again beaten on April 11 and pressured to confess to stealing gold. When he said he did not know the gold, he was subjected to severe torture throughout the day and night. After he became unconscious, he was taken for treatment to Life Log Hospital in Golbazar Municipality–4 on April 12, according to the victim. He also stated that he was pressured by the police not to inform anyone. After his health condition worsened, he was again treated at the Provincial Hospital Siraha and was released into the custody of his relatives with instructions to return to the police office after one week. He requested human rights defenders to help ensure legal action against the police officers involved, stating that he comes from a weak economic background and lacks access to resources.
Inspector Sudhan K.C. of the Area Police Office stated that he was on leave at the time of the incident. When asked about the police involvement, he said that locals had beaten the suspect during a theft incident, which took place around 4 pm on the 10th, and therefore, a remand extension could not be carried out on that day. He added that the victim was already ill due to the beating by locals and that the police had taken him to the hospital for treatment, denying any form of torture by the police. Meanwhile, doctors at Life Log Hospital stated that when the patient was brought to the hospital, he was having difficulty breathing.