CAT/C/62/D/695/2015 uncle’s death, the complainant has not provided the Committee with evidence of local news coverage. 4.10 The State party notes that the complainant arrived in Canada with a visitor visa and using his own passport and that he resided in the State party for approximately nine months before claiming refugee protection. It also points out that he made inconsistent allegations about his mother’s current whereabouts. While he stated in his request for deportation deferral before Canada immigration authorities that the police never released his mother after his arrest in June 2015 and that she was presumed to have been killed, he later stated in his complaint before the Committee that his mother had been released on 8 June 2015, after four days of detention. Moreover, he also submitted an affidavit by his mother dated 24 July 2015, which disproved his assertion that she was missing. 4.11 Even if one accepts the complainant’s allegations as true, there is no reasonable basis on which to conclude he faces a real risk of irreparable harm upon return. The alleged ill-treatment did not occur in the recent past but 8 years ago, in 2009. In addition, there is no objective evidence that he would be sought throughout India. Current conditions in India as established by objective country reports make it apparent that the complainant has an internal flight alternative. Reports concerning country conditions in India indicate inter alia a marked improvement in the human rights situation for Sikhs to the extent that it can no longer be said that there is a general risk of ill-treatment on return solely on the basis of one’s real or perceived political opinion. Only those high-profile militants actively engaged in or perceived to be engaged in or supporting militant activity are likely to be of interest to central authorities on return to India.5 Even where a country report indicates that Sikhs who hold or advocate particular political opinions may be subject to harassment, detention, arbitrary arrest or torture, such occurrences are typically confined to Punjab State.6 Country reports further indicate that the actions of the local police in Punjab are most often not politically or religiously motivated towards a particular group or cause, but rather the police in that region fabricate charges under the guise of suppressing threats, political or otherwise, in order to extract bribes. 7 Sikh minorities living in states outside of Punjab have the freedom to practise their religion and have access to education, employment, health care and housing.8 Complainant’s comments on the State party’s observations 5.1 On 28 December 2015 and 2 September 2016, the complainant provided comments on the State party’s observations on admissibility and merits and on its request to lift interim measures. He reiterated that, if returned to India, he would be at real risk of torture and pointed out that he had submitted relevant documentation to the State party’s authorities that had confirmed his allegations, such as a medical certificate issued by the doctor who had treated him in hospital on 27 December 2009, confirming his allegations of injuries as result of torture.9 He alleged that he had marks of torture on his body as shown in pictures and that he and some of his relatives had been subjected to torture by the Indian police. 5.2 In general, there is a high level of impunity of the Indian police concerning extrajudicial executions, torture and other crimes, in particular in the Jammu and Kashmir 5 6 7 8 9 6 The State party refers to the report by the Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, “Operational Guidance Note: India” (May 2013), available from www.refworld.org/docid/51a890674.html; the United States of America Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration, “India: Information on relocation for Sikhs from Punjab to other parts of India” (16 May 2003), available from www.refworld.org/docid/3f520d4b4.html; and United Kingdom Home Office, “Operational Guidance Note: India” (20 February 2007), available from www.refworld.org/category,POLICY,,,IND,46028cc82,0.html. The State party refers to the report by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, “Situation of Sikhs outside the state of Punjab, including treatment by authorities; ability of Sikhs to relocate within India, including challenges they may encounter (2009-April 2013)” (13 May 2013). Available at https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2014/02/04/IND104369.E.pdf. Ibid. Ibid. See footnote 2 above.