Police Atrocities

 One day in December 1974, I got Ghulam Mohammud Gujri son of Mohumud Rajab Gujri of Zaindar Mohalla released on bail. He was implicated in a false case by Abdul Aziz & Khazir Mohamud whose occupation was to implicate innocent people and then mediate. I made the Chowki Officer Makhan Lal Raina of Shahid Gunj Police Chowki refund Rs.200 the bribe he had taken from Ghulam Mohammad.

A few days later Raina at kaniya Kadal warned me that he would make me to pay Rs. 400. I retaliated and told him that he could threaten gamblers, thieves, scoundrels and other law breakers and not a law abiding person.

Professor (Dr.)Yog Raj Vaishnavi(Zoology), Professor Bushan lal Kachroo(Physics) and (Dr.) Professor Ashok Aima( Chemistry) opted to conduct coaching classes in M Dass Public School premises. One evening they supervised one group of their students to paste handbills on electric posts. After they pasted the last poster at Balgarden, Professor Kachroo asked one monologist Mr. Mota to monolog. The boy made the voice of a girl crying for help to be rescued. Electric shut down people from the vicinity came out and beat both the students and the professors as it could be otherwise for a genuine cry. One of the students lost his Kishtwari blanket in the melee. Soon both people of the vicinity and the victims reported the matter to me at my place. By that time misunderstanding was over and the people were very sorry for the act. They had deposited the blanket at the police station. Little knowing the cheap character of the Police Officer Makhan Lal Raina who was my college mate and a neighbour too, I marched along with others to the police station to get the blanket.

At the police station, Raina put me along with the two professors in the police lockup.

Each professor was handcuffed to my left wrist and the right wrist. Each rested his head on my left and the right knee. The night was cold and the lockup was dusty. A local Muslim constable on guard shared his kangri with us and made our shivering night a little warmer.

Next morning we got bail from the court under charge 294(Eve teasing). I had requested him to rather implicate me in anti national activity rather than in eve teasing.

The Sub Judge, B.N.Tengloo convinced that the case was false and fabricated, but still could not exonerate us. The same week he got his son admitted in M Dass where his accused was the Principal.

Litigation continued for three years. Many judges exchanged the seat; finally one young, handsome and upright Muslim judge took pity on us and released us.

Zulfikar Bhutoo, Nawaz Shrief, Benazir Bhutoo all suffered at the hands of the Police. Z A Bhutoo was shoed to death by a constable. Expectation of human behaviour at the hands of the Police (of any country) is nothing short of expecting pears from a willow tree. ( Akha gomuet heerie te verie mungan tung)

God save every body from their favours not to speak of their wrath.

I am sorry to share your precious time.

Bríjû dàss te Girdass chhú vanàn låsív tû båsív.