MADURAI: Human rights monitoring organization People’s Watch had written an open letter to the IPS Officers Association in Tamil Nadu to know whether steps were taken to give medical and psychological treatment to IPS officer Mr.Balveer Singh who is facing police custodial violence cases in the State for allegations from affected persons in Ambasamudram area in southern Tamil Nadu.
Mr.Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch, had raised a few questions in his open letter to the IPS Officers’ Association-Tamil Nadu Chapter president Mr.Abhash Kumar -on 6th May 2023.
“You have issued a statement dated 04.04.2023 titled Media trial regarding an allegation of Custodial Violence against Mr. Balveer Singh, IPS, due to public interest. You addressed the statement to “Dear All” without specifying any name. So, we have taken the statement as being addressed to us and, just as you openly shared your concern and apprehension regarding Mr. Balveer Singh IPS here, we also openly wish to share our concern and anxiety regarding Mr. Balveer Singh IPS. We trust you will respond to our statement,” Mr.Henri Tiphagne has said through his appeal from People’s Watch from Madurai today.
Stating that the IPS officers association statement is entirely new for Tamil Nadu, he said that when the issues related to police custodial violence were emerging in Tamil Nadu, no one in the name of “The IPS Officers’ Association intervened” and commented on them.
“It is the first time we have seen such an intervention. We are also surprised to see such a report in the name of your association. From your statement, it seems that the Tamil Nadu Police officers are working in two divisions, IPS and non-IPS officers. This separation is unhealthy and we feel that your statement says already existing rift and distressed. You were trying to save your association member and fellow IPS officer, Mr. Balveer Singh, and expressed your concern through your association’s statement. But we have a reasonable doubt as to why your association’s apprehension was not raised about the slackness in the prosecution and based on the Police Standing Order (PSO) enquiry conducted by Sub Collector Cheranmahadevi, the High-level inquiry officer Ms. P.Amutha IAS also investigated the issue. Till now, the inquiry reports have not been made in public. Why has your association not being expressive any apprehension or concern about the same?,” the People’s Watch had questioned.
The press release also stated that Mr. Balveer Singh’s stress has increased and he has been under medication and this later led to a series of troubles in his family as a result of which his wife attempted suicide (if it had happened), it would have been punishable under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 as we want to ask you whether it is true of not?
“Likewise, after the Ambasamudram incident, Mr. Balveer Singh’s wife his once again said to have tempted to commit suicide, when the other police officials broke the door and saved her. This information has leaked out now. In this situation, we learned that ASP Mr. Balveer Singh IPS has been receiving medical
treatment for severe depression. We hope you will inquire into this matter and act upon on the same in the interest of your own member. We hope you will inform the outcome of the inquiry to the outside world. It should be noted that Mr. Balveer Singh IPS is not an individual, he is a government official and a member of the Disciplinary Force. So, Mr. Balveer Singh’s continuing in the police force with such the – stress may harm the general public and his own family. We do not know whether he along with his wife
have participated in a program called “Police Wellness Programme” for psychological counselling for police personnel in Tamil Nadu to destress them and nurture them in good health. If all the facts are real, as the President of the IPS Officers Association, kindly take necessary action and demand his immediate medical and psychological treatment,” the press statement from People’s Watch has appealed from Madurai on May 6th 2023.
