Following the suicide by Ram Singh, the main accused in the gang-rape of a paramedical student in a moving bus in the Capital on December 16 last year, the family of deceased and Mukesh (brother of Singh also lodged in jail in the same case) on Monday alleged that both were subjected to torture and sodomised in the jail. Mangey lal, the father of the duo said Singh was murdered. He also demanded a CBI probe into the incident. “He has not committed suicide. He has been murdered and then hanged. He told us several times that he was being threatened in the jail,” said lal.
Doubting the news of suicide of his son, lal questioned that how his son could reach 10 feet high iron mesh and hanged himself while he could not move his hand as it was operated upon after accident.
“He was thrashed by Tihar inmates on several occasions. He was even attacked by blade by other inmates,” he added. Singh’s father, who regularly met him in jail, further raised questions and said despite the report of frequent assaults on Singh why his cell was not changed. “His shirt was torn and there is possibility that that there was a quarrel before the incident. Both my sons informed me that they were sodomised inside the jail. I am demanding that the post-mortem to be held in front of me,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, lawyers defending Singh and other accused on Monday also demanded a full-fledged inquiry into the suicide of Ram Singh, claiming that there was ‘foul play’ in the case. “The court had given permission to Singh to meet his parents and family members. He would meet them everyday. The trial was proceeding smoothly. I cannot understand what may have led him to commit suicide,” VK Anand, the defence lawyer, said.
“It is true that in the beginning Singh was tortured by the police. But he had not complained of any torture recently,” he added. He said that he met Ram Singh on last Friday, and he appeared calm, and in a good mood. “Not only Singh, the other accused persons were also in a good mood as the trial was going on in a fair manner,” he said.
Meanwhile, locals in Ravi Das Camp say they are happy after the suicide incident. “After the shocking rape incident, we were sad for the girl and her family but now after this incident, we are happy,” said one woman, a neighbour of Ram Singh, who didn’t want to be identified.
Few days back, the younger sister of accused Pawan Gupta, had passed away as she was not well for the past some years. “We are shocked after we came to know about the suicide incident. He should not have been killed. We are now worried for my son’s security inside the jail as someone will kill my child too,” said Pawan’s father.