Head bruises and missing earlobe? Kulbhushan Jadhav's pictures hint at torture by Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Was Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy officer, tortured by Pakistan in jail before being sentenced to death?

The questions emerged after footage of Jadhav meeting his family was released in public domain.

On Monday, Jadhav met his wife Chetankul and mother Avanti for the first time after his detention in March 2016 for around 40 minutes.

Pictures of Jadhav speaking to his family through a glass barricade emerged after their meeting.

Strong sense of anguish in India over the way #KulbhushanJadhav's meeting with his wife and mother took place in Pakistan yesterday. pic.twitter.com/vC8U2IgEQn — All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 26, 2017

Soon after, social media and experts pointed to the following facts: 

1. Jadhav has lost a dramatic amount of weight
2. Black and blue bruises on his head, neck
3. Part of earlobe seems to be missing

All the above facts seem to allude to the fact that Jadhav was tortured by Pakistan authorities after he was arrested. 

“Disgusted with Pakistan!! How can you be so inhuman? Separating  #KulbhushanJadhav with a glass wall from his Mom & wife!! Making them wait for a car for a perry photo-op!! And look closely at KJ's head and ear! Clear torture bruises!! Just sick!! #FreeJadhav,” Congress leader Shehzad Jai Hind wrote on Twitter.

Several defence analysts argued that Jadhav was made to wear a coat to hide the signs of torture on his body.

Kulbhshan jadhav was made to converse only in English so as to speak/repeat brief! Had visible marks of torture near earlobs although rest of the body was covered so as to cover other injury marks! Hope we at least stop issuing visa on Twitter @SushmaSwaraj pls @narendramodi — The Nationalist (@theprachand) December 25, 2017

#KulbhushanJadhav Meets Kin ??? Was it a Meet really?Questions arise with raised eyebrows about the shocking visuals which narrated a story of torture meted out to Kulbhushan Jadhav & violation of Human Rights by the Pak Govt. #freejadhav — RomeshNadir (@RomeshNadir) December 25, 2017

Why did Jadhav speak in English and not his mother tongue Marathi?

Strangely, Jadhav spoke to his wife and mother in English and not his mother tongue Marathi.

Many seem to believe that Jadhav was speaking from a script.

“It was as if he was making scripted comments... The language that he spoke. Usually, when a man is emotional or angry, he speaks and abuses in his mother tongue. Here, he spoke in English. Why did he speak in English,” questioned eminent senior counsel Harish Salve.

Salve further expressed concern about Jadhav's mental well-being.

Tulshidas Pawar is Jadhav's childhood friend and lives in Mumbai's Parel area. He watched images of Jadhav's mother Avantika and wife Chetna sitting across a glass screen flicker on the TV set at his home.

"Can you imagine what a mother who last saw her son two years ago must have felt when allowed to meet him from across a glass partition and was unable to touch him," asked Pawar.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Monday described Jadhav as "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. 

Indian has always denied the allegations, saying Jadhav was abducted from Iran where he had gone on a private business trip and then brought to Pakistan.

With agency inputs