Henri Tiphagne, the executive director of People’s Watch, told VICE World News that while Balveer Singh’s case highlights the rampant abuse of power by top-ranking police, it is also exceptional.

“In cases of torture, top cops prefer to give directions,” he said. “But this is a weird one of him being involved directly and exclusively, and preventing others from doing it.”

In all the alleged cases, Singh changed out of his uniform and put on a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and gloves in preparation of the alleged torture. “It’s like he’s stepping in for an operation,” Tiphagne said. “Then he would take a stone and carry out the horrible acts with his own hands.”

This was reiterated by Arun, Kumar’s brother who was also detained that day, during a press conference last week. He said he saw Singh changing clothes before two cops violently pinned him down for Singh to torture. He lost four teeth that day.

VICE World News reviewed victims’ statements and all of them have one common link: Singh went after their teeth—using either pliers or stones. One victim said he was forced to chew stones until his mouth bled.

Singh was suspended on March 29 while eight other cops were transferred. Human rights advocates now demand an official police complaint against Singh, but the state has instead appointed a more senior police official to probe the allegations, which people say is not enough.

In the meantime, local news outlets reported that cops from that police station have intimidated and coerced the accusers into changing their statements. Tiphagne confirmed this and said that one of the victims did retract his statement. “They’re being forced to say that they broke their teeth after falling down,” he said. “This is an attempt to erase evidence of any kind.”

Last week, some news outlets reported that the CCTV recordings – mandatory across all police stations in India – from the days of the torture aren’t available, with the police station staff claiming technical issues.

Many in the Indian police – stretched thin and understaffed – believe beatings of detainees are essential to maintain law and order, according to a 2019 police report by Common Cause, a civil society organisation, and the Lokniti Programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a research institute supported by the Indian government.

Tamil Nadu is among the top five Indian states with the highest number of police custodial deaths. Data from 2001 to 2018 show 1,727 custodial deaths but no convictions of any members of police. In the last few years, the state has seen high-profile cases including sexual assault. In 2020, the violent deaths of a father and his son sparked nationwide anger after details of their injuries – bleeding rectums, a punctured lung and internal bleeding – revealed one of the worst cases of torture and death in police detention.

Despite the mounting accusations, Singh has received backing from his police peers. Last week, the Tamil Nadu Indian Police Service Officers’ Association – made up of cops who’ve cleared one of India’s toughest exams to get coveted ranks – published a statement in support of Singh and accused journalists of bias and of running a “media trial.”

Tiphagne said there’s a jarring silence by the higher and district judiciary despite growing evidence of a pattern of abuse by police. “Now our biggest concern is: Who will stand with us?” he said.

Rajeshwari, Kumar’s mother, told VICE World News that she wants Singh brought to justice. “This whole incident has physically and mentally affected us. We want protection, justice and compensation.”

Dharani Thangavelu translated the victims’ statements from Tamil to English.

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