Annual Report on Torture 2008 - Vol - People's watch

under the accusation of stealing coffee. At the station the victim was stripped naked and his hands were
fastened with chains, following which the police assaulted on his thighs, hips and legs. Manju was
provided neither food nor water. On 24 th March 2008 the complainant Pemmaiah came to the station
and inquired the victim about the number of bags stolen. Manju admitted that he had taken bags which
were given him by Writer Rajesh. But the Writer himself came to the station and accused Manju of
stealing 33 bags of coffee. Again some police assaulted the victim and inquired about his father. On 25
March 2008 Manju was taken to the police rest house and locked up inside a room. On 27 March 2008
Manju was taken by a policeman named Pawan to Virajapete and shown a movie in a theater for half an
hour, and again brought back to the police station. Later the police took the victim to a shop and
recovered four bags of coffee. His finger prints were then registered and he was produced before the
Magistrate. The police had threatened Manju not to disclose about the illegal detention and torture. The
victim alleges that the real culprit in this case was Rajesh but he was spared by the police.
FF Code : KAR/KOD/M-01/08
Victim(s) : Manjunath
Perpetrator(s) : Mallesh, PC
Location : Shanivara Santhe PS, Somwarpete
Date of incident : 03/01/2008
Karnataka
91
Case Details:
Victim Manjunath, aged 21 resides in Honnavalli village under Somwarpete Taluk along with his mother
Venkatamma. They both do coolie work and manage the family. For the past eight months the victim
was in love with Bhavya, D/O Nagaiah of Mylapura. On 3 January 2008 while Manjunath was waiting
for a bus to Shanivara Santhe village, the brother of Bhavya suddenly pulled him and took the victim to
the police station. Bhavya and her mother also came to the station. Constable Mallesh assaulted
Manjunath with a lathi on his hands, legs and abused him with filthy words. The victim was caused to sit
in the station till evening and thereafter taken to a temple nearby. Constable Mallesh forced Manjunath to
tie a mangalya (sacred thread worn around neck so as to unite in marriage) to Bhagya. Inspite of the
victim and his mother’s request they forced him to do this, for Manjunath had not attained 21 years of
age. The constable threatened Venkatamma to be arrested if she didn’t accept this marriage. On the
advice of the police constable the married couple was kept in the house of Bhagya’s uncle. Later
Venkatamma brought a search warrant from the court and traced him. Subsequently Manjunath was
produced before the Magistrate and entrusted in the hands of his mother. The victim states that this
incident has caused him lot of mental pressure, and wishes that the constable is punished.
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on Torture
2007