Nodeep Kaur case: Dalit activist Shiv Kumar's medical report reveals 2 fractures, broken toenail beds

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24

Mazdoor Adhikaar Sangathan president Shiv Kumar — who is a co-accused in cases registered against Nodeep Kaur — has eight injuries, including fractures on the left and right foot, that are more than two weeks old, according to a report prepared by a five-doctor board of the GMCH, Sector 32.

The board examined the jailed Dalit activist on February 20.

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Given the injuries reflected in the report, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has now sought a report of the Shiv Kumar’s medical examination, which was conducted when the Sonepat police arrested him under Section 54 of the CrPC. The court today scheduled March 16 as the next date of hearing in the case of Shiv’s alleged illegal custody and torture.

The affidavit submitted by the superintendent of the Sonepat jail to the High Court included a copy of the medical board’s report.

According to the report, Shiv, who was taken to the GMCH on February 20 after a High Court order, also showed signs of “post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms”. “All injuries are more than two weeks old and were caused by blunt object/weapon,” according to the report prepared by the GMCH board. The board comprising Dr Ashwani Soni, assistant professor of orthopaedics; Dr Mandeep Singh, assistant professor of general surgery; Dr Nidhi Chauhan, assistant professor of psychiatry; Dr Sandeep Moudgil, assistant professor of radiodiagnosis; and Dr Dasari Harish, head of department of forensic medicine and toxicology.

It has been alleged that Shiv Kumar was illegally arrested on January 16 and tortured in the police custody. On record, he was booked on January 24, arrested two days later, and has been in the police custody ever since.

According to the report, “there is fracture distal phalanx of the second digit of left hand, and fracture of base of metatarsal bone of right foot.” The report also points to “possibly fracture/sesmoid bone” at two other places in the left navicular bone of a foot and right ulna bone of right wrist.

The psychiatric assessment read: “He appeared sad and distressed with occasional crying spells. He expressed preoccupation with his current situation, reported predominant anxiety symptoms, flashbacks of brutality meted out to him, nightmares, feelings of loneliness, uncertainty about future and sleep disturbances. Appetite is normal. He denies delusions, hallucination, ideas/plans of self-harm. Overall, evaluation is suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms.”

INJURIES EXAMINED BY DOCTORS

According to the report, the injuries have been described as:

• 1st injury: “Discoloured area, blackish in colour, L shaped, with the vertical limb being 10cm x 3cm, present over middle of front of left thigh, 17 cm above the knee joint and horizontal limb being 7cm x 2cm, starting from the lower area of the vertical limb, going inward. No tenderness on touch,” said the report
• 2nd injury: “Discoloured area, blackish in colour, size 7cm x 3 cm, present vertically over middle of front of right thigh, 16cm above the knee joint. No tenderness on touch,” according to the report
• 3rd injury: “Right foot swelling present and tender to touch and shows blackish discoloured area of size 5cm X 2cm, horizontally below the right middle toe,” it reads
• 4th injury: Swelling and tenderness of left foot
• 5th injury: Nail beds of right 2nd and 3rd toe are broken and underlying skin is reddish in colour and showing healing changes
• 6th injury: Left big toe shows blackish discoloration.
• 7th injury: Nails of left thumb and index finger show bluish black discoloration with tenderness
• 8th injury: Tenderness over right wrist

INJURIES 3 & 7 ARE ‘GRIEVOUS’

According to the report while injury numbers 1,2,5 and 6 are simple in nature, injury numbers 3 & 7 are grievous. The board said it could not comment on injury numbers 4 and 8, as regards their nature because of possibility of a sesamoid bone fracture

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