J&K High Court Directs Police To Submit Compact Disc (CD) Record In Case Alleging Police Brutality

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the state police to submit a Compact Disc (CD) Report in the death of Makhan Din, who had committed suicide after allegedly being subjected to torture in police custody in Kathua's Billawar area in February this year.

The family of the victim had moved the court seeking the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)for fair and impartial inquiry.

A bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal has also directed the personal appearance of the station house officer (SHO) and investigating officer of the Billawar police station.

The Advocate for the petitioner submitted before the court that although a case had been registered but it failed to name the police officials who allegedly subjected Din and his father to brutal torture.

He pointed out that the action taken report (ATS) submitted by the police station to the Sub-Judge (Special Mobile Magistrate) in Kathua had effectively cleared the accused of any wrongdoing.

"How can we expect a fair investigation from the very police station where Din and his father were so badly tortured?" His counsel questioned, expressing deep concern over the integrity of the probe.

Makhan Din, a 25-year-old resident of Bhattodi village in the Billawar area of Kathua, died by suicide earlier this month after allegedly being subjected to police torture.

Before ending his life, Makhan recorded a video message from a mosque pleading his innocence and expressed deep fear of being taken back into custody. “They will beat me again,” he said, referring to his earlier detention by police.

Makhan, a member of the Gujjar community, had been detained and questioned by security personnel because of his family's link to Swar Din, also known as Swaru Gujjar, a militant reportedly operating from across the border in Pakistan.

The police suspected Makhan's involvement in a July 2024 attack on an Army convoy in Badnota, which killed four soldiers. But in his final words, he insisted he had no connection to any militant activity.