sadhvi alleges torture
November 17, 2008
SADHVI ALLEGES TORTURE
I wanted to end my life after being beaten: Pragya
Mumbai: One of the key conspirators of the September 29 Malegaon blast, sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur alias Purnachetananadagiri on Monday said that she was beaten up so badly by officials of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that she thought of ending her life. At the same time, she also alleged that the arrests were politically motivated - and also accused the investigating agency of illegally detaining her. "I was physically and verbally traumatized to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide," the sadhvi said in her affidavit filed before chief judicial magistrate of Nashik. Her LML Freedom was used in the blast and according to ATS, she was part of the conspiracy to carry out the blast that claimed five lives and injured more than 50 others at the weavers' town of Malegaon.She alleged in the seven-page affidavit that she was verbally abused and severely beat with a belt on hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causes her bruises, swelling and contusions in the areas.In her affidavit, she said: "On October 12 the ATS changed the mode of interrogation and became extremely aggressive with me. At first they asked my disciple Bhimsing Pasricha to beat me with sticks, belts etc., on my palms, forehands, soles, etc. When Pasricha refused to do so, he was severely beaten by the ATS. Ultimately with the greatest reluctance, he complied with the ATS orders but obviously being my disciple, he exerted the very minimum of force on me. He was then pushed aside by a member of the ATS squad known as Khanwilkar, who then himself commenced beating me severely with a belt on my hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causing me bruises, swelling and contusions in these areas."
She goes on to allege that the interrogation become severe the next day. "From the October 13 onwards, I was beaten during the day, night and midnight. On two occasions I was even woken up in the early hours of the morning at 4 am and questioned about my knowledge of the blast. On these occasions, I was beaten by a senior officer having a moustache, whom I can identify. In addition I was subjected to vulgar abuse and obscene language by members of the ATS team interrogating me. My guru was abused and my chastity was questioned. I was physically and verbally traumatized to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide." "As a result of the custodial violence/torture, mental stress, anxiety that were developed in the process, I was subjected to, I developed acute abdominal and kidney pains. I lost my appetite, became nauseous and giddy and prone to having bouts of unconsciousness," she said and added that she was also taken to a local hospital. Pragya said that the ATS was 'fully aware' that she was 'innocent'. "It appears however that they have a mandate from their political superiors to necessarily implicate me with Malegaon blast with a view to suggest that Hindu religious extremists were resorting to terrorism. The prolonged illegal detention, custodial abuse and physical torture were designed to compel me to confess to crimes, I had not committed," she said.
SADHVI ALLEGES TORTURE
I wanted to end my life after being beaten: Pragya
Mumbai: One of the key conspirators of the September 29 Malegaon blast, sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur alias Purnachetananadagiri on Monday said that she was beaten up so badly by officials of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that she thought of ending her life. At the same time, she also alleged that the arrests were politically motivated - and also accused the investigating agency of illegally detaining her. "I was physically and verbally traumatized to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide," the sadhvi said in her affidavit filed before chief judicial magistrate of Nashik. Her LML Freedom was used in the blast and according to ATS, she was part of the conspiracy to carry out the blast that claimed five lives and injured more than 50 others at the weavers' town of Malegaon.She alleged in the seven-page affidavit that she was verbally abused and severely beat with a belt on hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causes her bruises, swelling and contusions in the areas.In her affidavit, she said: "On October 12 the ATS changed the mode of interrogation and became extremely aggressive with me. At first they asked my disciple Bhimsing Pasricha to beat me with sticks, belts etc., on my palms, forehands, soles, etc. When Pasricha refused to do so, he was severely beaten by the ATS. Ultimately with the greatest reluctance, he complied with the ATS orders but obviously being my disciple, he exerted the very minimum of force on me. He was then pushed aside by a member of the ATS squad known as Khanwilkar, who then himself commenced beating me severely with a belt on my hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causing me bruises, swelling and contusions in these areas."
She goes on to allege that the interrogation become severe the next day. "From the October 13 onwards, I was beaten during the day, night and midnight. On two occasions I was even woken up in the early hours of the morning at 4 am and questioned about my knowledge of the blast. On these occasions, I was beaten by a senior officer having a moustache, whom I can identify. In addition I was subjected to vulgar abuse and obscene language by members of the ATS team interrogating me. My guru was abused and my chastity was questioned. I was physically and verbally traumatized to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide." "As a result of the custodial violence/torture, mental stress, anxiety that were developed in the process, I was subjected to, I developed acute abdominal and kidney pains. I lost my appetite, became nauseous and giddy and prone to having bouts of unconsciousness," she said and added that she was also taken to a local hospital. Pragya said that the ATS was 'fully aware' that she was 'innocent'. "It appears however that they have a mandate from their political superiors to necessarily implicate me with Malegaon blast with a view to suggest that Hindu religious extremists were resorting to terrorism. The prolonged illegal detention, custodial abuse and physical torture were designed to compel me to confess to crimes, I had not committed," she said.
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