Accused allege jail staff beating them

A holiday magistrate at Esplanade Court on Saturday directed the superintendent of Arthur Road Prison to produce all the 23 accused persons arrested on August 11 in connection with violence at Azad Maidan before him on Monday, HT reports

A holiday magistrate at Esplanade Court on Saturday directed the superintendent of Arthur Road Prison to produce all the 23 accused persons arrested on August 11 in connection with violence at Azad Maidan before him on Monday.

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The directive was issued after relatives of some of the accused approached the court alleging the accused were beaten by the jail staff on Friday evening when they were remanded in judicial custody.

Relatives of some of the accused persons had gone to meet them at the prison in the morning on Saturday, when they were told about the alleged brutalities committed by the jail staff.

Immediately thereafter, their counsel advocate Khalid Azmi submitted an application before the holiday magistrate.

The plea sought directions to the prison authorities to produce the 23 accused before the magistrate for ascertaining the veracity of the allegation of assault and send them for medical examination.

It also sought initiating criminal proceedings against concerned prison staff if the medical examination confirms that the accused were assaulted in the prison.

Two youths were killed and 63, including 58 policemen and policewomen were injured when a rally called to protest against alleged atrocities on Muslims in Assam and Myanmar turned violent.