Two Circles: Hyderabad: Monday, April 13, 2015.
The
postmortem report of Sheikh Hyder who died in police custody on March 21 is set
to open a Pandora’s Box in an already politically boiling incident. Hyder, a
daily wage earner, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a case of theft
of a cycle on March 21 by the Nazamabad Police Station.
The forensic
department of Gandhi Medical College has provided the postmortem examination
report on the RTI query of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC). The PM
report nails the police theory of ‘injury on escape’ and gives detail analysis
of injuries on the dead body.
On March 21,
Sheikh Hyder, a poor labourer who was detained on the charges of stealing a
Bicycle, died in the custody of one town police station of Nizamabad town.
Police claimed that he died due to injuries inflicted while he was trying to
escape from station. But his family and local Muslims believe that he died as
the police used third-degree torture on him.
Photographs
of Hyder’s dead body available with TCN, shows that on the whole body,
particularly at the back and on feet there are marks that prove he was brutally
beaten.
The
postmortem report, which TwoCircles.net has copy of, was received from the head
of department of forensic medicine, Gandhi Medical College. The forensic report
gives the cause of death as “deep and sharp plantar cut injury of left sole and
its complications,” further attesting the fact that the body has several
wounds, adding that an “Intra catheter (a plastic tube, usually attached to a
puncturing needle) is still over the front of right above arm”. The report also
suggests that Hyder had died while he was still in the custody of police.
This incident
had attracted lot of attention as Nizamabad is the parliamentary constituency
of K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
Nizamabad is an emerging stronghold of an assertive MIM, which is ruling the
town Municipal Corporation in alliance with TRS, and is also becoming a
breeding ground for different Muslim political factions.
State
Minorities Commission headed by a Congressman has already ordered the probe
into what is perceived as ‘police brutality’ in KCR’s regime. Moreover Indian
Union Muslim League Member of Parliament ET Mohd Basheer has already written to
CM demanding a fair probe, further politicizing the issue at the national
level.
Coming under
intense pressure and deteriorating law and order situation, district collector
has ordered an Executive Magistrate inquiry into the incident. Request for PM
examination was forwarded by Revenue Divisional Officer of Kamareddy who is now
also acting as executive magistrate for the inquiry.
Paradoxically
the one town police station booked a case Crime no. 85 of 2015 of custodial
death under section 176 (custodial death inquiry by magistrate) of CrPC along
with section 224 (attempt to escape from lawful custody) of IPC, thus setting
the absurd mode of investigation.
At the
outset, the in-questing officer i.e. the executive magistrate, who is supposed
to conduct fair and free inquiry, in the description of the wounds section
mentions the police version that injury of deep cut on the left foot was ‘due
to the jump on the sharp edge broken ceramic levorotary basin material.” Those
are the exact words copied from police theory written in its FIR.
It is
mentioned in the PME form that Sheikh Hyder was brought dead at Gandhi hospital
at 9:0 pm on March 21, 2015.
While the
report of postmortem records that the body was sent for postmortem through one
head constable and police constable on March 22 at 11 am and the postmortem was
conducted at 12:15 pm same day.
The above
mentioned fact vindicates the family’s allegation that Nizamabad police
officers initially was not allowing the postmortem to be conducted but only
after the interference of local politicians the dead body was sent for
postmortem quite lately.
Even though
brought dead, in the external appearance section it is mentioned that “Intra
catheter (A plastic tube, usually attached to a puncturing needle) is still
over the front of right above arm”.
The
ante-mortem (before death) injuries on the dead body recorded in the postmortem
report are:
1)
A sharp cut injury measuring 10 cm x 1 cm x bone deep
present over the middle of the left sole, the edges are sharp, clean cut, and
red in colour. Blood clouts present in the wound.
2)
On dissection of the wound, all the super fiscal and deep
muscles, tendons (tissue which connect muscle to bones) and blood vessels are
clearly cut.
3)
An Abrasion (a wound caused by superficial damage to the
skin) measuring 1 cm x 1 cm, reddish in colour present over the back of the
right elbow and 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm present on the front of the right shoulder
obliquely (not in a direct way) placed.
4)
On the dissection of the chest and abdomen, all the
internal organs are pale.
The important
piece of information given in the PME report is that by accessing the condition
of rigor mortis and lividity, the doctors has came to the conclusion that
‘About 12-24 hours prior to post mortem examination’ was the timing of death of
Sheikh Hyder. Which clearly suggest Hyder died in the midday hours of March 21
while he was in the custody of Nizamabad police.
Finally
giving their opinion on the cause of death, examining doctors to the best of
their knowledge and belief stated that death of Sheikh Hyder was due to “Deep
and sharp plantar cut injury of left sole and its complications.” The report is
attested by Asst professor Dr. P. Vanishri.
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