Talib Hussain, an activist and a key witness in the sensational Kathua case in which an eight-year-old was brutally gangraped and murdered was briefly admitted to hospital on Monday with injuries on his head. According to reports, he was allegedly tortured in police custody.

[wp_ad_camp_1]

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising who first tweeted about the alleged assault, said Hussain’s skull was broken in the incident.

Action alert

Talib Hussain – who was arrested last week – has been tortured in Samba police station while on police remand, skull broken, rushed to hospital in Samba, he is a key witness in the Kathua gang rape-murder case.

This is unacceptable in a democracy.

— indira jaising (@IJaising) August 6, 2018

She also alleged that from the hospital, Hussain was sent back to the same police station and his family was not allowed to meet him.

Latest:

Talib has been sent back to the same police station in Samba where he was assaulted. Samba hospital did not allow Talib’s relatives to meet him there. Relatives saw him at the police station. Head was bandaged, bleeding.

No further info as of now. https://t.co/B3JwiisqOL

— indira jaising (@IJaising) August 6, 2018

[wp_ad_camp_1]

According to the Samba Police, Hussain was booked under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code after he injured himself by hitting his forehead on the prison wall repeatedly.

He was arrested last week on a rape complaint filed by the relative of his estranged wife, and has been in police custody since Thursday. He is also facing a separate domestic violence case against him filed by his estranged wife.

Hussain who belongs the Bakerwal community, a nomadic tribe in Kashmir had gained prominence after he led the campaign seeking justice for an eight-year-old girl from Kathua who was gangraped and murded in January.

According to activists, the girl who also belongs to the Bakerwal community was targeted to scare and drive out Muslims from the area.

[wp_ad_camp_1]

The girl was abducted when she had gone out to graze horses. She was allegedly kept confined for days, drugged and raped before she was murdered.

The incident triggered a massive controversy in April after charges were filed against the seven accused including a minor. Some Hindutva groups holding the national flag marched in support of the rapists, even two state minister from BJP who were a part of the then ruling coalition attended the protests.