The police torturing actor Prabhu Deva by tying around his waist a gunny bag filled with giant red ants remains one of the grossly disturbing scenes in Kadalan, the 1994 hit film. However, more than 140 years ago, in the Madras Presidency, similar forms of torture were meted out to people by the police.
Placing itchy insects, like the carpenter beetle, on the navel, scrotum, and other sensitive parts was among the principal tortures in vogue in police cases. Twisting a rope tightly around the entire arm or leg so as to impede circulation; lifting up by the moustache; suspending by the arms that are tied behind one’s back; searing with hot irons; dipping in wells and rivers till the party is half-suffocated; squeezing of testicles; beating with sticks; prevention of sleep; nipping the flesh with pincers; sprinkling pepper or red chillies in the eyes or introducing them into the private parts of men and women were among the other forms of police torture. “…these cruelties occasionally persevered in until death sooner or later ensues,” says the Report of the Commission for the Investigation of Alleged Cases of Torture at Madras, which was submitted to the Governor in Council of Fort St. George in April 1855.
A common practice
Flogging, too, was a common practice. “Flogging is used in many places; once I have myself heard it from inside my house at Callivoolum, in the talook of Vulleyore, and it was so severe I could hardly take my dinner on account of the sensation it caused me. It is about five years since the fact I relate now took place,” wrote Rev L. Verdier of Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli), as cited in the report.
The Commission noted that it was quite certain that the practice of torture prevailed in a much more aggravated degree in police cases than for realisation of revenue. “The modes resorted to in the former appear to be more acute and cruel, though we doubt if anything like an equal number of persons is annually subjected to violence, on criminal charges, as for default of payment of revenue,” it said.
‘Private extortion’
During the course of the inquiry conducted by the Commission, people also deposed about the different forms of violence that they were subjected to for “revenue and private extortion purposes”. Such tortures included keeping a man in the sun; preventing his going to meals or other calls of nature; confinement; preventing cattle from going to pasture by shutting them up in house; squeezing the crossed fingers with the hands; pinches on the thighs; slaps; blows with fish or whip; running up and down; and twisting the ears. Besides, it was common to make a man sit on the soles of his feet with brickbats behind his knees and “putting a low-caste man on the back”.
“Striking two defaulters’ heads against each other or tying them together by their back hair; placing in the stocks; tying the hair of the head to a donkey’s or buffalo’s tail; placing a necklace of bones, or other degrading or disgusting materials, round the neck” were the other forms of torture that were inflicted on the victims.
‘Very simple machine’
The Commission in its report wrote: “That the ‘anundal’ (‘gingeri’ in Telugu), or tying a man down in a bent position by means of his own cloth, or a rope of coir or straw passed over his neck and under his toes, is generally common at the present day, is beyond dispute; and we see no reason to doubt that the kittee (in Telugu ‘cheerata’) is also in frequent use. It is a very simple machine, consisting merely of two sticks tied together at one end, between which the fingers are placed as in a lemon squeezer…”
Many a witness had declared to the Commission that the people would be satisfied if the demands of the revenue officers were restricted to the just government dues.
“…we entertain no doubt but that the extortion of what are erroneously termed ‘bribes’ is universal, and that where payment cannot be obtained by fair means, foul will be resorted to,” the report said.
Victims of private wrong
Incidentally, even back then, people attached more importance to being victims of private wrong than the failure of officials to discharge public duty.
Describing this, H. Forbes, the Collector and Magistrate of Tanjore, in January 1855, wrote, “The people of India draw a wide distinction between oppressive acts practised with a personal motive, and those which, however, erroneously, they connect with a public duty; they will make complaint upon complaint, and appeal upon appeal for the redress of a private wrong, when they will at the same time tacitly submit to a greater injury received in a public act; the motive of the one they see to be personal, and attach no personal motive to the other.”
At that time too, justice was often delayed. The Commission said the criminal procedure was so slow that “marks even of severe torture would be obliterated, or very indistinct, at the time of the trial before the sessions or subordinate court”. This was despite the law providing that the police shall forward prisoners and witnesses with proceedings to the criminal judge of the zillah within 48 hours of apprehension, “no rule is more constantly broken”.
Published – October 17, 2024 11:55 pm IST
