Police officer suspended for third degree interrogation of girl in Jharkhand

Ranchi, June 18: In a case of alleged police brutality, a Class 10 girl student fell unconscious and had to be hospitalised after she was interrogated for more than 10 hours at a police station in Jharkhand's Latehar district.

The girl remained unconscious for more than 70 hours after the questioning by police on June 14 at Manika Police Station in Latehar.

Latehar Superintendent of Police Anup Birthare has suspended Sub-Inspector Ram Pravesh Sharma posted at Manika Police Station after he was found guilty of questioning the girl for more than 10 hours inside the police station without the presence of a woman police constable or even her parents.

The girl was admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi. She fell unconscious after her release from the police station and was taken to a local hospital in Latehar district. She was later brought to RIMS Ranchi for treatment.

She regained consciousness for some time on Friday and told her family members that she was thrashed and throttled by police during interrogation. According to the girl's father, police took her mobile phone on June 13 and she was taken to the police station on June 14. She was being interrogated in a case related to the elopement of a girl a month ago. The eloped girl is said to be friend of the victim.

The incident has once again brought under scrutiny the working of the police in the state.

The police official has been held accountable for negligence. It is alleged that due to the pressure of questioning the girl's health deteriorated and she fell unconscious.

The SP has asked the Deputy Superintendent Police Barwadih, Mangal Singh Jamuda, to probe the case.

The SP himself has announced that the cost of treatment of the girl would be borne by him, while the cost of her education and other expenses would be provided by Latehar police.

Earlier State Women's Commission chairperson Mahua Manjhi met the girl at RIMS.

The state Child Rights Protection Commission had directed Director General of Police D.K. Pandey to take action in the matter pointing to gross irregularities by the policeman while questioning the girl.

The girl has been lying unconscious and is undergoing treatment at RIMS. It appears that she was mentally tortured due to which she became unconscious.

The commission has directed to provide free treatment and adequate compensation from the police.

IANS