News Analysis India

Tag: Custodial Death

  • Gujarat saw 81 custodial deaths in last five years, highest in India 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Gujarat witnessed the most number of custodial deaths in the last five years with 81 such cases, followed by Maharashtra with 80 deaths,  Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

    Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as many as 687 people died in police custody in various parts of the country from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2023.

    While 81 deaths in police custody were reported in Gujarat, 80 such deaths took place in Maharashtra in the said period, he said, replying to a written question.

    The minister said there were 50 police custodial deaths in Madhya Pradesh, 47 in Bihar, 41 in Uttar Pradesh and 36 in Tamil Nadu.

    Citing the data provided by the National Human Rights Commission, Rai said a total of 164 deaths in police custody were reported in 2022-23, 175 in 2021-22, 100 in 2020-21, 112 in 2019-20 and 136 in 2018-2019.

    NEW DELHI: Gujarat witnessed the most number of custodial deaths in the last five years with 81 such cases, followed by Maharashtra with 80 deaths,  Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

    Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as many as 687 people died in police custody in various parts of the country from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2023.

    While 81 deaths in police custody were reported in Gujarat, 80 such deaths took place in Maharashtra in the said period, he said, replying to a written question.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The minister said there were 50 police custodial deaths in Madhya Pradesh, 47 in Bihar, 41 in Uttar Pradesh and 36 in Tamil Nadu.

    Citing the data provided by the National Human Rights Commission, Rai said a total of 164 deaths in police custody were reported in 2022-23, 175 in 2021-22, 100 in 2020-21, 112 in 2019-20 and 136 in 2018-2019.

  • Man dies in police custody in Bihar’s Begusarai 

    By PTI

    BEGUSARAI: A 50-year-old man died in police custody in Bihar’s Begusarai district, hours after being arrested for allegedly opening fire on and setting ablaze a neighbour’s house, a senior official said on Friday.

    A magisterial probe has been ordered into the death of Hiragaj Yadav, who fell ill on Thursday evening and was declared dead by doctors at the hospital where he was rushed to by police personnel, said Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar.

    Yadav, who recently came out on bail after spending 12 years behind bars serving sentence in a murder case, was named in many cases in Begusarai and neighbouring Khagaria district, said the SP.

    On Thursday, he was arrested and brought to Bakhri police station in connection with an FIR lodged by a neighbour who had accused him of opening firing and arson.

    During interrogation, Yadav fell unconscious following which he was rushed to the hospital.

    The SP said a videographed post-mortem examination has also been conducted on the deceased.

    Heavy deployment of forces has been made at the police station to avert any untoward incident in view of villagers thronging the area upon learning about the death, the SP said.

    BEGUSARAI: A 50-year-old man died in police custody in Bihar’s Begusarai district, hours after being arrested for allegedly opening fire on and setting ablaze a neighbour’s house, a senior official said on Friday.

    A magisterial probe has been ordered into the death of Hiragaj Yadav, who fell ill on Thursday evening and was declared dead by doctors at the hospital where he was rushed to by police personnel, said Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar.

    Yadav, who recently came out on bail after spending 12 years behind bars serving sentence in a murder case, was named in many cases in Begusarai and neighbouring Khagaria district, said the SP.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    On Thursday, he was arrested and brought to Bakhri police station in connection with an FIR lodged by a neighbour who had accused him of opening firing and arson.

    During interrogation, Yadav fell unconscious following which he was rushed to the hospital.

    The SP said a videographed post-mortem examination has also been conducted on the deceased.

    Heavy deployment of forces has been made at the police station to avert any untoward incident in view of villagers thronging the area upon learning about the death, the SP said.

  • UP custodial death: Special Operations Group in charge arrested

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Special Operations Group (SOG) in charge, Prashant Gautam, has been arrested in connection with the custodial death of 27-year-old trader Balwant Singh.

    Balwant Singh was picked up by the police for interrogation on Monday night after a businessman related to him, Chandra Bhan Singh, reported a robbery of Rs 4.5 lakh from him on December 5, 2022.

    Balwant’s kin complained that he was tortured by the police when he was under custody. He died on Tuesday. The autopsy report confirmed that he was tortured throughout the night of Monday. When his condition deteriorated he was taken to Kanpur Dehat district hospital where the doctors declared him dead. 

    The autopsy report revealed over two dozen injury marks on the body.

    Six persons including five policemen and a duty doctor of Kanpur Dehat district hospital were booked on Wednesday in connection with Balwant’s death.

    Balwant’s uncle, Angad Singh had lodged a complaint with Rania police following which a case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder), 147 (guilty of rioting) 504(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

    Shivli police station in-charge Rajesh Kumar Singh, Rania police station in-charge Shiv Prakash Singh, Maitha outpost in-charge Gyan Prakash Pandey, SOG in-charge Prashant Gautam, a constable deputed with the SWAT Mahesh Gupta and a duty doctor of the district hospital were the six persons booked in connection with the case.

    ALSO READ | 11 police personnel suspended after trader dies in police custody in UP’s Kanpur Dehat 

    According to Kanpur Dehat SP Suniti, the district police arrested SOG in-charge Prashant Gautam, one of the six accused on Thursday while searches were underway to arrest five others who were on the run. 

    “Six teams have been formed to arrest them. They are facing murder charges,” the SP said.

    Balwant’s uncle Chandra Bhan Singh said had he known that police would kill his nephew he would never have lodged a police complaint about the robbery.

    Police and SOG had picked up several people on the basis of suspicion in the case of robbery from businessman Chandrabhan Singh of Lalpur Saraiya village of Shivli on December 6.

    Ram Rathore, a resident of Mahipalpur under the jurisdiction of the Shivrajpur police station area of Kanpur city, was also detained by the district police in connection with the case. He was reportedly running a high fever and was admitted to Havaspur Community Health Center Wednesday late evening.

    LUCKNOW: Special Operations Group (SOG) in charge, Prashant Gautam, has been arrested in connection with the custodial death of 27-year-old trader Balwant Singh.

    Balwant Singh was picked up by the police for interrogation on Monday night after a businessman related to him, Chandra Bhan Singh, reported a robbery of Rs 4.5 lakh from him on December 5, 2022.

    Balwant’s kin complained that he was tortured by the police when he was under custody. He died on Tuesday. The autopsy report confirmed that he was tortured throughout the night of Monday. When his condition deteriorated he was taken to Kanpur Dehat district hospital where the doctors declared him dead. 

    The autopsy report revealed over two dozen injury marks on the body.

    Six persons including five policemen and a duty doctor of Kanpur Dehat district hospital were booked on Wednesday in connection with Balwant’s death.

    Balwant’s uncle, Angad Singh had lodged a complaint with Rania police following which a case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder), 147 (guilty of rioting) 504
    (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

    Shivli police station in-charge Rajesh Kumar Singh, Rania police station in-charge Shiv Prakash Singh, Maitha outpost in-charge Gyan Prakash Pandey, SOG in-charge Prashant Gautam, a constable deputed with the SWAT Mahesh Gupta and a duty doctor of the district hospital were the six persons booked in connection with the case.

    ALSO READ | 11 police personnel suspended after trader dies in police custody in UP’s Kanpur Dehat 

    According to Kanpur Dehat SP Suniti, the district police arrested SOG in-charge Prashant Gautam, one of the six accused on Thursday while searches were underway to arrest five others who were on the run. 

    “Six teams have been formed to arrest them. They are facing murder charges,” the SP said.

    Balwant’s uncle Chandra Bhan Singh said had he known that police would kill his nephew he would never have lodged a police complaint about the robbery.

    Police and SOG had picked up several people on the basis of suspicion in the case of robbery from businessman Chandrabhan Singh of Lalpur Saraiya village of Shivli on December 6.

    Ram Rathore, a resident of Mahipalpur under the jurisdiction of the Shivrajpur police station area of Kanpur city, was also detained by the district police in connection with the case. He was reportedly running a high fever and was admitted to Havaspur Community Health Center Wednesday late evening.

  • Autopsy finds 24 injuries on UP trader who died in police custody

    By PTI

    KANPUR: An autopsy of a trader who died in police custody has confirmed 24 injury marks, signalling “extreme level of torture” meted out to him, a doctor said here on Thursday.

    Additional SP (Rural) Ghanshyam also said that the autopsy performed by a panel of three doctors had confirmed that Balwant Singh (27) had died due to shock as a result of anti-mortem injuries.

    Anti-mortem injuries refer to those injuries that were sustained before death, experts say.

    “The post-mortem findings confirmed that the victim had about 24 anti-mortem injuries including on chest, face, thigh, legs, hands and soles,” said a doctor associated with the panel on condition of anonymity.

    The autopsy findings contradict police version that Singh had complained of chest pain, and that he died of a cardiac arrest.

    Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suniti said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the custodial death case against SHO Shivli, Circle Officer Rania, Special Operation Group (SOG) chief, In-charge of police outpost, and a constable apart from a duty doctor at the district hospital.

    The SIT, formed on Wednesday, composed of two COs and two Inspectors.

    It has been asked to arrest all the suspended cops who are absconding, she added.

    Six more police teams have been formed to assist the SIT to nab all the absconding cops including SHO Shivli Rajesh Kumar Singh, CO Rania Shiv Prakash Singh, Sub-Inspector Prashant Gautam, who was SOG chief, and Gyan Prakash Pandey, an outpost In-charge, a constable Mahesh Gupta attached with SOG, and those whose involvement found in the case, she said further.

    The District Magistrate has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter to ascertain the circumstances which led to the death of Balwant Singh.

    Angad Singh, an aggrieved family member, has lodged an FIR with Raniya police against five policemen and a duty doctor at the district hospital.

    The FIR has been registered under IPC’s section 147 (rioting), 302 (murder), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

    The FIR stated that Balwant, accompanied by his cousin Guddu, was on his way to home when some policemen intercepted Balwant and forcefully made him to sit in their vehicle.

    The FIR discarded SP’s claims that Balwant had himself walked to police station on Monday for recording his statement regarding a loot incident.

    KANPUR: An autopsy of a trader who died in police custody has confirmed 24 injury marks, signalling “extreme level of torture” meted out to him, a doctor said here on Thursday.

    Additional SP (Rural) Ghanshyam also said that the autopsy performed by a panel of three doctors had confirmed that Balwant Singh (27) had died due to shock as a result of anti-mortem injuries.

    Anti-mortem injuries refer to those injuries that were sustained before death, experts say.

    “The post-mortem findings confirmed that the victim had about 24 anti-mortem injuries including on chest, face, thigh, legs, hands and soles,” said a doctor associated with the panel on condition of anonymity.

    The autopsy findings contradict police version that Singh had complained of chest pain, and that he died of a cardiac arrest.

    Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suniti said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the custodial death case against SHO Shivli, Circle Officer Rania, Special Operation Group (SOG) chief, In-charge of police outpost, and a constable apart from a duty doctor at the district hospital.

    The SIT, formed on Wednesday, composed of two COs and two Inspectors.

    It has been asked to arrest all the suspended cops who are absconding, she added.

    Six more police teams have been formed to assist the SIT to nab all the absconding cops including SHO Shivli Rajesh Kumar Singh, CO Rania Shiv Prakash Singh, Sub-Inspector Prashant Gautam, who was SOG chief, and Gyan Prakash Pandey, an outpost In-charge, a constable Mahesh Gupta attached with SOG, and those whose involvement found in the case, she said further.

    The District Magistrate has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter to ascertain the circumstances which led to the death of Balwant Singh.

    Angad Singh, an aggrieved family member, has lodged an FIR with Raniya police against five policemen and a duty doctor at the district hospital.

    The FIR has been registered under IPC’s section 147 (rioting), 302 (murder), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

    The FIR stated that Balwant, accompanied by his cousin Guddu, was on his way to home when some policemen intercepted Balwant and forcefully made him to sit in their vehicle.

    The FIR discarded SP’s claims that Balwant had himself walked to police station on Monday for recording his statement regarding a loot incident.

  • 11 police personnel suspended after trader dies in police custody in UP’s Kanpur Dehat 

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: In a case of custodial death, a young businessman picked up for interrogation by the police in a robbery case died in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district.

    The custodial death victim has been identified as 27-year-old Balwant Singh of Lalpur Saraiya.

    After Balwant’s death came to light on Tuesday morning, his kin launched a protest demanding justice. This led to the police registering FIR against five cops and a doctor while 11 police personnel, including 2 station house officers (SHOs) were placed under suspension on charges of negligence.

    It has been stated that police picked up Balwant Singh on Monday night for questioning him after a businessman Chandra Bhan Singh, a relative of Balwant, was robbed of Rs 4.5 lakh. The robbery was reported under the jurisdiction of Shivli Kotwali police station on December 6, 2022.

    Police took Balwant to the Rania police station for interrogation. On Tuesday morning, his kin was informed that he has died.

    Police claimed that Balwant complained of chest pain and later died in a hospital. But his kin refuted that version.

    Balwant Singh’s uncle Angad Singh said the police did not allow the family members to see his nephew when they went to the police station to meet him upon hearing about his arrest.

    Even Chandra Bhan Singh, who complained of robbery, pleaded with the police that Balwant was in no way involved in the case. But the police officer did not pay heed.

    Meanwhile, police found that Balwant’s condition has been deteriorating and took him to a private nursing home in Nabipur where the doctors declined to admit him. He was then taken to a Community Health Centre (CHC) and later referred to the district hospital where the doctors declared him dead. 

    Following this, the cops, without informing either the victim’s family or the senior police officers, abandoned Balwant’s body in the district hospital and went away, his kin claimed.

    ALSO READ | Custodial torture of brothers: Four cops suspended in Kerala 

    A ward boy at the district hospital informed the Akbarpur police about Balwant’s death around 1.30 am on Tuesday. The Akbarpur police station in charge informed the senior officers following which Kanpur Dehat SP Suniti sent the body for autopsy and informed Balwant’s family about his death.

    The family members landed at the hospital where the body was kept for post-mortem and launched a protest demanding appropriate action against the policemen involved in the alleged murder.

    The FIR lodged at the Rania police station named the SHOs of Shivli and Rania police station, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Shiv Prakash Singh, respectively. A doctor at the district hospital doctor Dr Pawan Parya has been booked for trying to hush up the case allegedly by pretending to treat Balwant even after his death to show that he was under treatment for some time and did not die of police torture.

    After getting the body of the victim on Wednesday morning, the family refused to conduct the last rites. They demanded CM Yogi Adityanath visit them. They launched a massive protest in front of the police station demanding Rs 1 crore as compensation and also a government job for Balwant’s wife. The family also demanded a commission headed by a retired judge to probe into Balwant’s death.

    ALSO READ | Kerala man who stood up to cops alleges custodial torture

    Kanpur Dehat DM Neha Jain and SP Suniti held talks with the family and convinced them by offering a relief of Rs 4 lakh and a job to Balwant’s wife.

    Later reacting to the incident, BJP MP Devendra Singh Bhola, representing Kanpur Dehat in Lok Sabha, held the district police responsible for Balwant’s death.

    The MP, who met the bereaved family, pointed finger of suspicion at the role of district police chief Suniti and DM Neha Jain while assuring the family of strict action against all involved in Balwant’s death.

    LUCKNOW: In a case of custodial death, a young businessman picked up for interrogation by the police in a robbery case died in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district.

    The custodial death victim has been identified as 27-year-old Balwant Singh of Lalpur Saraiya.

    After Balwant’s death came to light on Tuesday morning, his kin launched a protest demanding justice. This led to the police registering FIR against five cops and a doctor while 11 police personnel, including 2 station house officers (SHOs) were placed under suspension on charges of negligence.

    It has been stated that police picked up Balwant Singh on Monday night for questioning him after a businessman Chandra Bhan Singh, a relative of Balwant, was robbed of Rs 4.5 lakh. The robbery was reported under the jurisdiction of Shivli Kotwali police station on December 6, 2022.

    Police took Balwant to the Rania police station for interrogation. On Tuesday morning, his kin was informed that he has died.

    Police claimed that Balwant complained of chest pain and later died in a hospital. But his kin refuted that version.

    Balwant Singh’s uncle Angad Singh said the police did not allow the family members to see his nephew when they went to the police station to meet him upon hearing about his arrest.

    Even Chandra Bhan Singh, who complained of robbery, pleaded with the police that Balwant was in no way involved in the case. But the police officer did not pay heed.

    Meanwhile, police found that Balwant’s condition has been deteriorating and took him to a private nursing home in Nabipur where the doctors declined to admit him. He was then taken to a Community Health Centre (CHC) and later referred to the district hospital where the doctors declared him dead. 

    Following this, the cops, without informing either the victim’s family or the senior police officers, abandoned Balwant’s body in the district hospital and went away, his kin claimed.

    ALSO READ | Custodial torture of brothers: Four cops suspended in Kerala 

    A ward boy at the district hospital informed the Akbarpur police about Balwant’s death around 1.30 am on Tuesday. The Akbarpur police station in charge informed the senior officers following which Kanpur Dehat SP Suniti sent the body for autopsy and informed Balwant’s family about his death.

    The family members landed at the hospital where the body was kept for post-mortem and launched a protest demanding appropriate action against the policemen involved in the alleged murder.

    The FIR lodged at the Rania police station named the SHOs of Shivli and Rania police station, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Shiv Prakash Singh, respectively. A doctor at the district hospital doctor Dr Pawan Parya has been booked for trying to hush up the case allegedly by pretending to treat Balwant even after his death to show that he was under treatment for some time and did not die of police torture.

    After getting the body of the victim on Wednesday morning, the family refused to conduct the last rites. They demanded CM Yogi Adityanath visit them. They launched a massive protest in front of the police station demanding Rs 1 crore as compensation and also a government job for Balwant’s wife. The family also demanded a commission headed by a retired judge to probe into Balwant’s death.

    ALSO READ | Kerala man who stood up to cops alleges custodial torture

    Kanpur Dehat DM Neha Jain and SP Suniti held talks with the family and convinced them by offering a relief of Rs 4 lakh and a job to Balwant’s wife.

    Later reacting to the incident, BJP MP Devendra Singh Bhola, representing Kanpur Dehat in Lok Sabha, held the district police responsible for Balwant’s death.

    The MP, who met the bereaved family, pointed finger of suspicion at the role of district police chief Suniti and DM Neha Jain while assuring the family of strict action against all involved in Balwant’s death.

  • Teenager found hanging in police station; officer-in-charge suspended 

    By PTI

    SERAIKELA (Jharkhand): The officer-in-charge of a police station in Jharkhand’s Seraikela-Kharswan district was suspended on Thursday after an 18-year-old man, who was detained for questioning, was found hanging inside it, a police officer said.

    The man, a resident of Dhalbhumgarh in East Singhbhum district, was taken into custody recently for interrogation after he allegedly eloped with a minor girl on October 26.

    The girl’s family went to Dhalbhumgarh and brought her and the man to the Bal Mitra thana (child-friendly police station) here the next day. The girl was allowed to go home while his boyfriend was detained.

    The man allegedly used his belt to hang himself to death inside a cell of the Bal Mitra police station within the campus of Seraikela police station on Wednesday.

    Superintendent of Police Anand Prakash inspected the police station following the incident and suspended Officer-in-Charge Manohar Kumar.

    The SP asked Seraikela Circle Inspector Ram Anup Mahato to take over the charge till further order.

    When contacted, the SP confirmed the suspension of Kumar.

    “We have ordered an inquiry by a magistrate as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission. Steps will be initiated against the erring police personnel,” Prakash said.

    SERAIKELA (Jharkhand): The officer-in-charge of a police station in Jharkhand’s Seraikela-Kharswan district was suspended on Thursday after an 18-year-old man, who was detained for questioning, was found hanging inside it, a police officer said.

    The man, a resident of Dhalbhumgarh in East Singhbhum district, was taken into custody recently for interrogation after he allegedly eloped with a minor girl on October 26.

    The girl’s family went to Dhalbhumgarh and brought her and the man to the Bal Mitra thana (child-friendly police station) here the next day. The girl was allowed to go home while his boyfriend was detained.

    The man allegedly used his belt to hang himself to death inside a cell of the Bal Mitra police station within the campus of Seraikela police station on Wednesday.

    Superintendent of Police Anand Prakash inspected the police station following the incident and suspended Officer-in-Charge Manohar Kumar.

    The SP asked Seraikela Circle Inspector Ram Anup Mahato to take over the charge till further order.

    When contacted, the SP confirmed the suspension of Kumar.

    “We have ordered an inquiry by a magistrate as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission. Steps will be initiated against the erring police personnel,” Prakash said.

  • Seven Bihar cops critically injured as mob attacks police station after ‘custodial death’

    By PTI

    KATIHAR: Seven policemen, including two station house officers (SHOs), were critically injured after a group of villagers attacked a police station in Bihar’s Katihar district on Saturday, hours after the death of a man allegedly in custody.

    Hundreds of villagers went on a rampage in Pranpur Police Station and damaged vehicles parked on the premises after 40-year-old Pramod Kumar Singh was found dead in the lockup.

    He was arrested on Friday for possessing bottles of liquor in dry Bihar. The two injured SHOs have been identified as Manitosh Kumar of Pranpur Police Station and Shailesh Kumar of Dandkohra Police Station, a senior officer said.

    “All the injured policemen have been admitted to the district hospital in Katihar and their condition is stated to be stable. The situation is completely under control and our teams are camping in the area,” Acting Superintendent of Police (SP) Daya Shankar said.

    “The body was found as the police officers were preparing documents to produce Singh before a court,” Shankar claimed. 

    As the news of Singh’s death spread, villagers armed with sticks and iron rods attacked the police station and injured the policemen.

    “The situation could only be brought under control after additional security personnel were called in from the nearest police stations. Shailesh Kumar was among the reinforcements. Seven policemen, including two SHOs, have sustained injuries,” he said.

    Singh’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination and a case registered against those who attacked the policemen, he added.

    The Bihar government on April 5, 2016 banned the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of liquor in the state and made it a punishable offence for those violating the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016 which has so far been amended several times.

    KATIHAR: Seven policemen, including two station house officers (SHOs), were critically injured after a group of villagers attacked a police station in Bihar’s Katihar district on Saturday, hours after the death of a man allegedly in custody.

    Hundreds of villagers went on a rampage in Pranpur Police Station and damaged vehicles parked on the premises after 40-year-old Pramod Kumar Singh was found dead in the lockup.

    He was arrested on Friday for possessing bottles of liquor in dry Bihar. The two injured SHOs have been identified as Manitosh Kumar of Pranpur Police Station and Shailesh Kumar of Dandkohra Police Station, a senior officer said.

    “All the injured policemen have been admitted to the district hospital in Katihar and their condition is stated to be stable. The situation is completely under control and our teams are camping in the area,” Acting Superintendent of Police (SP) Daya Shankar said.

    “The body was found as the police officers were preparing documents to produce Singh before a court,” Shankar claimed. 

    As the news of Singh’s death spread, villagers armed with sticks and iron rods attacked the police station and injured the policemen.

    “The situation could only be brought under control after additional security personnel were called in from the nearest police stations. Shailesh Kumar was among the reinforcements. Seven policemen, including two SHOs, have sustained injuries,” he said.

    Singh’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination and a case registered against those who attacked the policemen, he added.

    The Bihar government on April 5, 2016 banned the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of liquor in the state and made it a punishable offence for those violating the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016 which has so far been amended several times.

  • SIT to probe police station arson; separate inquiry into ‘custodial death’: Assam DGP 

    By PTI

    NAGAON: Five miscreants were on Sunday arrested for the arson at Batadrava Police Station in Assam’s Nagaon district, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will soon be constituted to inquire into the incident, a top police officer said on Sunday.

    A separate probe has also been ordered into the alleged custodial death of a local resident, which triggered the attack on the police station, he said.

    District administration on Sunday launched an eviction drive against encroachers in Salnabori village, residents of which purportedly attacked and set on fire the police station the day before, following the alleged custodial death of a local, Safikul Islam, who was picked up the night earlier.

    Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta, who visited Batardava on Sunday, said, “A SIT, headed by an additional superintendent of police, will be formed to look into the arson incident. Five miscreants have already been apprehended and investigation was underway to identify and nab the others.”

    To a question on possible involvement of jihadis behind the attack, Mahanta said, “I will not call them jihadis. But perhaps the mob was organised by people who were trained by outfits engaged in anti-India activities.”

    The DGP said police have information that fundamentalist outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) was trying to set base in Nagaon and adjoining areas.

    He said, “ABT modules were busted recently in Assam, Tripura and Bhopal. We are aware that some of them are functioning in these areas. They have entered mosques and madrassas, but they don’t have the support of common people.”

    “They are trying to create sleeper cells so that foreign mujahideens can be brought here,” he added.

    Mahanta said that the incident seemed “systematic and planned”.

    “In this particular incident, we have seen an element of preparedness. People were provoked,” he claimed.

    The DGP also said that a drug peddler and a dacoit have been identified in the mob that had set ablaze the police station, with the police also trying to find out if the attack was aimed at burning down evidence and case diaries.

    He stated that an additional SP of neighbouring district of Karbi Anglong, Prakash Sonowal, has been entrusted with the task of conducting an independent inquiry into the allegation of custodial death.

    “I have seen a photo which clearly indicates that Islam was drunk or high on drugs when he was brought in to the police station on Friday night. Technically, he died in custody. There is allegation of fault on part of the police and the independent inquiry will determine it,” he added.

    Earlier in the day, Mahanta had said that the in-charge of Batadrava police station has been suspended and rest of the staff closed, following the attack.

    In a Facebook post previously, the DGP had said that Islam was released by the police on Saturday and handed over to his wife, who took him to two hospitals when he complained of uneasiness before being declared dead by doctors.

    The family members of the deceased fish trader, however, had claimed that the police demanded Rs 10,000 and a duck as a bribe for his release, and his wife visited the police station with a duck on Saturday morning.

    When she returned with the money later, she learnt that her husband had been taken to Nagaon Civil Hospital.

    After reaching there, she found him dead, they claimed.

    Alleging that the man died of torture, villagers gheraoed the police station, allegedly assaulted on-duty personnel and then torched the building.

    Videos of the incident showed a woman sprinkling some inflammable liquid on two-wheelers parked in front of the police station and setting them on fire.

    The blaze engulfed the police station soon after and fire tenders had to be called to douse it.

    Special DGP (Law and Order) GP Singh, who also visited Batadrava, said forensic experts have been requested to collect residue from the arson site as there are allegations that kerosene or petrol-type inflammable liquids were used.

    On the loss of case diaries and other evidence stored in the police station, Singh said all FIRs in the last three years were filed online and copies of case diaries have been kept in two offices other than the one attacked.

    “If some case diaries are lost, we can always re-construct it,” he added.

    Asked about the eviction drive in Salnabori village, Singh said many people involved in the incident were found to have encroached upon the lands they reside on and have forged documents to show ownership.

    “We have registered a case and alerted the district administration, which carried out the eviction drive,” the police officer added.

    Local reports suggested that about six houses, including that of Islam, were demolished by the administration on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, a former AIUDF MLA, Anowar Hussain Laskar has filed a complaint with the Assam State Human Rights Commission over the death of Islam.

  • After fish trader’s custodial death, mob in Assam torches police station

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: An irate mob of hundreds torched an Assam police station on Saturday, protesting the custodial death of a fish trader.

    The incident was reported from central Assam’s Nagaon district. The mob, which also had women, barged into the Batadrava police station, vandalised it and beat up the personnel.

    Later, it torched the police station. Several documents were reduced to ashes and some rifles were damaged in the fire.

    Two policemen were injured. The police arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the attack.

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    The police had picked up Safikul Islam of the Salnabari area in the district on Friday night and demanded Rs 10000 besides a duck from him, the wife of the deceased alleged.

    She said as the family could afford only a duck, the police allegedly beat him up and killed him. The police rubbished the charges.

    “He was found in a drunken state at Bhomoraguri and on being informed by some people, a police team went to the spot and brought him to the police station,” Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley told journalists.

    “Subsequently, his family members were informed and they visited the police station. Today, he was found sick and taken to a primary health centre but it referred him to the district hospital. So, he was taken to the district hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival,” she added.

    The SP also said that a probe was on and action would be taken against anyone found guilty.

  • SC refuses to interfere with Allahabad HC order directing CBI to probe alleged custodial death case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with an Allahabad High Court order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe a case related to the alleged custodial death of a 24-year-old man in February this year.

    The apex court dismissed a plea filed by Uttar Pradesh authorities against the September 8 order of the high court which had observed that there was sufficient material on record which prima facie revealed the commission of offence and involvement of higher officers in the conspiracy and creating false evidence to protect the accused.

    The Supreme Court said that the CBI shall investigate the matter independently without being influenced by any observation made in the judgment of the high court.

    The case pertains to the death of 24-year-old Krishna Yadav alias Pujari who, according to the FIR registered in Jaunpur district, was allegedly picked up by the police from his house on February 11.

    It was alleged that the next day information was received that Yadav has died.

    The matter came up for hearing before an apex court bench of justices Vineet Saran and Aniruddha Bose.

    “Having heard S V Raju, Additional Solicitor General, at length and on perusal of the record, we do not find any ground for interference with the direction of the high court for investigation in the matter by the CBI,” the bench said in its October 25 order.

    “However, considering the facts of this case, we direct that the CBI shall investigate the matter independently and in accordance with the law without being influenced by any observation made in the judgment of the high court. The special leave petition is, accordingly, dismissed,” the apex court said.

    The high court had passed the order directing the CBI to investigate the case in which the FIR was registered on February 12 for alleged offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 302 (murder).

    It cited the FIR lodged on the complaint of the brother of the deceased that said some police officials had come to Yadav’s house on February 11 and took him away with an intent to falsely implicate him and he was detained at the police station.

    The high court had noted that the police record claimed Yadav was apprehended while he was driving a motorcycle and that he fell and received injuries.

    It had also noted that the police record said after Yadav was brought to the police station, he was sent for first aid and the doctor referred him for treatment to the district hospital but by the time they reached there, he died.

    “Perusal of the counter affidavit and copy of the case diary as produced before us..prima facie shows that entire effort of the police is to somehow give clean chit to the accused and for this purpose important evidences are being left and some evidences are being created and manipulated,” the high court had said in its order, adding, “Fair investigation is the foundation for a fair trial.”