Cop booked for forcing Dalit youth to drink urine

Chikkamagaluru: A case has been registered against a police sub-inspector in Chikkamagaluru for allegedly forcing a Dalit youth, who was in the custody, to drink urine. The SI is identified as Arjun. The inhuman incident was confirmed by the police inspector of Gonibeedu police station in Chikkamagaluru, where a case was registered based on a complaint by Punith KL, a 22-year-old resident of Kiranguda in the district, who was allegedly attacked by the sub-inspector.

Punith KL was arrested by the Gonibeedu police on May 10 after villagers accused him of causing trouble between a couple. Punith claimed that he was beaten by the police for a couple of hours after they had taken him into the custody. When he asked for water, the sub-inspector refused and allegedly forced another person in the lock-up to urinate on Punith. The sub-inspector was charged with wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, causing insult, causing hurt, torture, extorting confession, along with provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Punith said that there was no formal complaint against him and that he was humiliated, beaten up and subjected to verbal abuse by the police who tried to make him give a false confession.

He was released by the police at 10.30 pm on May 10, almost twelve hours after he was taken into custody. Punith then wrote to Chikmagalur SP Akshay M Hakay and other senior officers about the incident and a preliminary probe was begun seeking action against the sub-inspector.