Punjab Police inquiry into torture of pregnant woman

Amritsar, June 28 (UNI) Punjab police today ordered an inquiry into the reported torture of a woman in labour at the hands of the police that resulted in the death of her newly born baby at Kutiwal village in Majitha police district on June 25.

The inquiry was ordered by Majitha SSP Gautam Cheema. DSP Ajnala will be the inquiry officer and will submit his report to the SSP within a weeks time.

Meanwhile the police today produced before mediapersons, the midwife, Chando, who supervised the delivery of the baby in the house of Jaspal Singh against whom the police had registered a theft case on June 25 following a complaint lodged by his employer Dilbagh Singh. Chando claimed that the delivery took place on June 26 and not a day earlier as was being claimed by Raji, the child's mother.The midwife claimed that the baby was fine when she left the house.

Mr Cheema claimed that a assistant sub-inspector (ASI) rank officer and a lady constable had gone to the house of Jaspal Singh on June 25 to ask him to join investigation in the theft complaint.''If at all the child died on June 26 due to police torture, then why did the family wait a day to bring to light the entire issue,'' he said while talking to mediapersons.

A few resident of Kutiwal who were also present claimed that the complaint filed against Jaspal Singh was genuine as he had committed a theft in the house of Dilbagh Singh. They further claimed that twice earlier Raji had delivered dead bodies.

UNI XC-HS MSJ KP1820