New Delhi, November 04:
Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has ordered an investigation into the allegation that a 28-year-old prisoner in a jail in Punjab’s Barnala was tortured and branded as ‘terrorist’ on his back with an iron rod.
“A jail inmate in Barnala, Karamjit Singh beaten brutally by Jail Superintendent. The word “Attwadi” meaning TERRORIST engraved on his back! This is disgusting and a serious violation of human rights. We demand strict possible action against officials involved,” Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa tweeted on Wednesday.
Sirsa termed this as ‘malicious intent’ of the Congress in Punjab to paint Sikhs as terrorists. “Punjab Police beats undertrial Sikh prisoner and engraved word ‘Atwadi’ on his back. We demand immediate suspension of jail superintendent and strict action for human rights violation,” he tweeted.
Karamjit Singh, the inmate, is under trial in about 11 cases, including cases falling under the NDPS Act. Singh made this allegation at a court in Mansa district where an NDPS case was being heard. Reports said the jail superintendent who has been accused of this torture denied the allegation and said Karamjit is a repeat offender who was found with a cell phone in his barrack a few days ago.
