Bengal custodial torture death: Calcutta HC orders second post-mortem examination

Kolkata, July 12 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed a second post-mortem examination of the body of a youth from Dholahat in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, who died late on Monday allegedly due to torture while he was in police custody. A single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha said that the second post-mortem examination should be conducted in front of a judicial magistrate and victim Abu Siddik Halder’s father and the entire process will have to be completed by Saturday.The state police were also directed to video record the entire process and preserve it.Justice Sinha said that the viscera report will have to be sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) at Hyderabad for further examinations.The court also directed the state police to ensure full security of the family members of the victim as well as the witnesses in the case following complaints that the witnesses were constantly receiving threatening calls. She directed the Superintendent of Sunderbans District Police under which Dholahat comes to ensure security.The matter will come up for hearing again on July 22.Halder died on July 8, just four days after he was released on bail by a district court in South 24 Parganas district.On Thursday, the victim’s family members informed the court that they had to pay a bribe of Rs 1.75 lakh to police to ensure his bail.The victim was arrested by police on June 30 on charges of stealing jewellery. The family members alleged that he was beaten up in custody, which was evident from the injuries that were visible while he was presented before a district court on July 4. He was granted bail on that day and was sent to a local hospital, where he was released after primary treatment. Halder’s mother Taslima Bibi claimed that his condition started deteriorating when he came back home, following which he was shifted to a hospital in Kolkata. Later he was admitted to a private nursing home for further treatment. However, he died late on Monday night.–IANSsrc/vd