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Meghalaya: Five policemen suspended for assaulting man in custody
Mildred filed a formal complaint on July 7 alleging her son was beaten in custody. A case was registered and departmental proceedings were initiated.
Shillong: Five policemen have been suspended in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district for allegedly assaulting a 19-year-old man brought in for questioning last week, police said on Thursday.
“Based on the enquiry report submitted on Wednesday, a sub-inspector and four constables of the Sohra police station have been placed under suspension with immediate effect,” East Khasi Hills superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Syiem said.
The probe was ordered on a complaint by Gedwin Jyrwa’s mother Mildred Jyrwa who accused the police of assaulting her son in custody.
Mildred said she had handed over her son to the police on July 3 after he evaded arrest in connection with a first information report registered on July 1 that accused him of assault and threatening a complainant.
Gedwin was sent for medical examination to Sohra community health centre and brought back to the station.
Mildred said he was released on a bail bond in the evening and later noticed injury marks on his body.
She filed a formal complaint on July 7 alleging that her son was beaten in custody.
“A case was registered and departmental proceedings were initiated against the accused police personnel,” SP Syiem said.
Mildred told HT she noticed bruises on Gedwin’s legs and back after picking him up from the police station. “He had marks all over his body. It was horrifying. I took him to Sohra CHC, and they referred him to Shillong Civil Hospital,” she said.
Mildred also alleged her son was “forced to drink water from the toilet” while in police custody — an allegation that sparked widespread outrage.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Pynursla, B. Wanswett, had ordered a probe into her inquiry which indicted the five personnel.
