Forensic report nails the police; points to several wounds on body, sharp cut on bottom of foot, plastic tube of needle near arm.
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: 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.
Hyder’s sister and father.
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.
Click here to see the Photograph of the dead Sheikh Hyder.
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”.
Site of the backside of station where police claim Hyder jumped and got injured
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.
Postmortem Report of Sheikh Hyder
Related:
Custodial death in Nizamabad: rights groups see nexus between police and politicians