Secret cells

The matter of secret torture cells kept by the police has kept coming up over the years. It is a pretty known fact that torture does not produce the truth, but can force innocent individuals to admit guilt for crimes they have not committed. Now, a torture cell operated by the Gujjarpura SHO has been unearthed in Lahore. The cell was reportedly operating right under the noses of the government for many years. Based in an office of the forest department, the cell was located in the middle of a jungle. At the time of its discovery, six men were locked inside the cell, including one in a serious medical condition. The bones of one of the men were broken during the torture. Some of the stories of the locked up men have begun to make it to the public. Most were small shopkeepers who had been picked up from their homes. Instead of registering a case against them, they were illegally taken to the torture cell, denying them all the rights of an accused.

It is clear that there was no useful information obtained at this cell. Instead, these become places where law-enforcement officials are able to show their most barbaric side. Much like police encounters, what happens in these police torture cells remains a mystery to the public. The six men recovered from Gujjarpura can tell their stories, but there are so many other stories that remain untold. This cell was only uncovered by luck. Anti-corruption officials were in the vicinity for another investigation when they heard cries from the Forest Department office. When they arrived at the location, they also recovered footage on a mobile phone. Many of the men did not know the charges against them – which only makes the matter worse. Not that it matters. What happened to these men seems like a sick game that is conducted across the law-enforcement apparatus.

While top police officials have claimed to have issued strict directions that torture will not be tolerated, it remains to be seen what action will be taken against the said officials. The case for removing them from service as well as initiating criminal proceedings against them is a strong one. Illegal detention is understood as kidnapping, even if the kidnapper is in uniform. Torture is not an acceptable part of police practice. Suspects continue to die in police custody due to serious torture. This is gross injustice, and only confirms the failings of the justice system in the country.