A Lethem man is calling for disciplinary action against three policemen after he suffered a severe beating at their hands and had to be hospitalized.
Alvin Singh is currently in the Lethem Hospital following a beating in the community on Tuesday. He said he was kicked about the body by three policemen who have since been sent out of the border town. He suffered injuries to his abdomen, groin, ribs and other areas he told Stabroek News.
According to Singh, last Tuesday, he was heading to a mechanic workshop at Tabatinga on his motorbike and the policemen were apparently following him. The former policeman said that while he was in the yard, the policemen rushed in and began to beat him. “They kick me like a whole bunch of time,” he said adding that two held him while another assaulted him. Singh said that he was choked and was also beaten about his chest.
He recounted that one of the policemen went and searched a nearby yard for several minutes and emerged with two parcels of marijuana. He said that they alleged that it belonged to him but he said that it was not his.
Singh was taken into custody. But, he said, due to the severity of his injures he had to be taken to the hospital and he was admitted. Singh said that he suffers from kidney stones and this was aggravated.
The man said that the manner in which the police treated him was wrong. He said that he did not resist. “They couldn’t just arrest me and take me to the station?” he questioned. “That is not right,” he said. Singh said that he has no criminal record and the police wanted him to sign statements but he refused and only signed for the property that was on him at the time of his arrest.
He also said that the manner in which the police rushed into the yard was unsafe as their vehicle almost hit two young children.
Meanwhile, Singh’s uncle, Junior Grant said that the doctor treating his nephew had asked the police for a medical report form but they refused to give one to him. He was concerned at this development and further said that the three policemen involved in the incident have since been sent to the city.
Singh said he is still in pain and is taking injections to ease this. He said the doctor expects to discharge him tomorrow. He said he wants the police to face disciplinary action.
“I ain get a problem with them arresting…but beating me, I ain tekking that,” he said. He said that it was not proper for the police to be beating people “just like that.” He noted that he is the breadwinner for his family and in his condition he cannot work. “They can always arrest people but not beat them,” he said.
