About the Human Rights Defender: Mr. Washim Sajad was a 25-year-old social and human rights activist working as a ground level staff at the NGO Van Andolan Jagriti Sangh in Jharkhand which works for forest rights.

Details of the Incident On April 07, 2023, Mr. Washim Sajad went to Khala village for a meeting on Forest Rights Act. At around 11:00 PM, 4-5 policemen (not in uniform) in white Tata sumo came to the Khala village and apprehended the HRD nearby his grandfather house. They abducted him without following the D.K Basu Guidelines of arrest or detention. Then the HRD was subjected to torture by the police in the vehicle and then by policemen at the police station of Dhurki. The HRD was then shifted to the Dhurki Health Center in the same vehicle in which he was apprehended. HRD was given painkiller injections along with antibiotics at Dhurki Health center. Later the HRD succumbed to injuries sustained due to custodial torture. According to the HRD’s Father - At around 12 o'clock in the night HRD’s father was informed by Dhurki Police station stating that Inspector Krishan Kumar and HRD is in the hospital and requested the HRD’s father to come to the Dhurki primary hospital. The HRD’s father Mr. Mumtaz Ansari went to Dhurki Primary Hospital at 12 o'clock in the night where he met his son. The HRD informed him that he was stomped on his chest and subjected to brutal torture by the Sub Inspector Krishan Kumar and other police officials of Dhurki Police station.

The Father of HRD, Mr. Mumtaz Ansari filed a FIR against the custodial death of the HRD in FIR No 45 of 2023 at Dhurki Police station dated 08-04-2023, U/s 302 IPC, against accused Krishan Kumar Sub inspector, Dhurki Police station.