JAMMU: After hue and cry about the alleged custodian death of Makhan Din (25) resident of Perody village in Bani in Kathua, a series of inquiries were initiated. DC Rakesh Minhas who ordered a magisterial probe into the matter, was followed by CM Omar Abdullah stating that the Government will order its own inquiry into the matter. In an exclusive interview with The NEWS NOW, Faheem Tak engages with Dr. Rameshwar Singh, MLA Bani and delves into various aspects of alleged custodian death.
Q. Since the area falls in your constituency, could you elaborate about this locality and Makhan Din’s family.
Answer: Mostly Gujjar and Bakerwal people put up in the locality who are downtrodden and jobless and can hardly make both ends meet. I have been with them since yesterday and they curse themselves to be part of such a community wherein they are persecuted, tortured and suspected on a daily basis. Being tired of this persecution, the victim (Makhan Din) committed suicide.
Q. As per the reports, it is said that Makhan Din was directly associated with his uncle who is a terrorist residing in Pakistan. Also, he was hand in glove with the recent terror attacks in Kathua. What do you say in this regard?
Answer: ‘Whole community bearing the brunt of one criminal’ policy is not accepted. Makhan Din and his family were the part of usual interrogations. But all of the sudden, what was the necessity to pick up Din and his father at night without registering any FIR. And after that he was subjected to intense torture. What part of the investigation was that? He was harassed to that level that he made a video of his suicide wherein he levelled allegations on Police Department.
Q. Did you personally inspect the dead body of the victim? Where there any marks of torture on his body? And does the victim in suicide video says police is responsible for this?
Answer: I was there during postmortem and would like to clarify that Police officers are trained in the manner that the mark of torture does not reflects on the body. But you cannot check the mental stress which he mentioned in the video. Moreover, the video has become viral on Social Media wherein he goes to Mosque, rests Quran on his head and makes the revelation about torture.
Q. Administration claims that the situation was normal in the area and you state that internet services were suspended and the frisking drive was intensified. Please clarify your statement.
Answer: After that suicide became viral, the internet services were suspended in the Billawar. And unnecessary frisking was conducted only on a particular community as if some militant attack is about to happen. We demand judicial inquiry into the matter.
