Additional director general , Meerut zone, Bhanu Bhaskar on Friday ordered a probe into the allegation of custodial torture against outgoing Meerut SSP Avinash Pandey after a Bharatiya Kisan Union leader alleged that he and another political activist were brutally assaulted in police custody on August 19 following his involvement in a protest in Meerut over the murder of college student.
Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh, who will carry out the investigation, has been directed to submit a report at the earliest. On the other hand, Meerut police have rejected the allegations of custodial torture. They claimed that Bhati and Jatav were already facing several criminal cases and were history-sheeters. The police claimed that the two sustained injuries after their scooter skidded while they were returning home.
The two subsequently submitted a written complaint at Civil Lines police station regarding the incident, according to the police version. The allegations surfaced shortly after Avinash Pandey was removed as Meerut SSP and attached to the police headquarters in Lucknow late on Thursday night.
Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad has also demanded an impartial investigation, preservation of CCTV footage and independent medical examinations of Bhati and Jatav.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that farmer leaders were being subjected to “third-degree” torture in Uttar Pradesh and demanded a detailed investigation and strict action against those found guilty.
