‘Custody torture’ death: HC directs 2nd postmortem
Times of India | 13 July 2024
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Friday directed that the body of a South 24 Parganas resident, who allegedly died because of police torture, be exhumed for a second postmortem to be conducted on Saturday in the presence of his father. Justice Amrita Sinha ordered that the viscera be sent to CFSL, Hyderabad, and told the state to submit the second postmortem report on July 22.
Abu Siddik Haldar of Hat Bakultala village was arrested on July 4 for jewellery theft. The district court granted him bail a few hours later and sent him to a local hospital, where he was treated and released. Haldar’s mother Taslima Bibi said her son’s health started deteriorating soon after. He died at Swastik Nursing Home on July 8 and was buried on July 10.
The autopsy report indicated multiple injuries and the cause of death was stated as kidney failure. Father Yasin Haldar moved the HC seeking a second postmortem. His counsel Shamim Ahmed submitted that the injuries indicated custodial torture and said police didn’t follow 2016 NHRC guidelines on conducting autopsies.
State counsel Sirsanya Bandyopadhyay argued: “It is not a custody death. NHRC guidelines won’t apply here.” The counsel submitted that Dholahat police officer Rajdeep Sarkar was transferred and a DSP-rank officer was conducting an investigation.
“A mere video recording may not be a substitute for conducting a second post mortem,” the HC observed.