Uttarakhand, July 05: The body of Ranbir Singh, gunned down by Uttarakhand police in an alleged fake encounter, bore 12 marks of bullets fired from close range and 27 other injuries showing that he may have been tortured, according to an autopsy report.
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank had on Saturday ordered a CB-CID probe into the killing of 22-year-old Singh, an MBA qualified from Uttar Pradesh who police claimed was shot dead on Friday in an encounter after he fled with a sub-inspector’s revolver, but his family on Sunday demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.
Police sources on Sunday said a post mortem conducted at Doon hospital revealed that Singh’s body bore deep wounds and 12 bullet marks which showed that he was fired at from close range, raising questions about the police’s version of events.
The report also revealed that Singh might have been tortured before his death. This was corroborated by 28 injury marks found on his body, the sources said.
However, SSP Dehradun Amit Sinha, who was given the postmortem report by hospital authorities, was not available for comment.
Supporting the demand of Singh’s father Ravindra Pal Singh for a CBI probe, the main opposition Congress also sought an inquiry by the central agency.
Uttarakhand PCC President Yashpal Arya asked the state government to hand over the case to CBI claiming that the state level probe will be biased.
According to the police, Singh, who was riding a motorcycle along with two others, snatched the revolver of a sub-inspector when their two-wheeler was stopped during routine checking of vehicles in view of President Pratibha Patil’s visit.
However, Singh’s father claimed that his son was innocent. “There is no criminal record against my son and he was killed in a fake encounter because police officials want (gallantry) medals,” he told reporters soon after the postmortem.
The top officials of district police, on the other hand, defended the encounter and said the bike used by the youths was stolen from Haryana.
The claimed the three boys were asked to stop by G D Bhatt, a Sub-Inspector, at Dalanwala area. When the police searched their bag, a weapon was found in it. However, the youths overpowered Bhatt, snatched his revolver and fled.
When Bhatt flashed a message over the wireless, the boys were intercepted at another place and there was an encounter in which Singh was killed, they said.
–PTI