Tension over boy’s custodial death, four cops suspended

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 1

Agitated relatives and well wishers of a teenage boy, who allegedly died in the Katoratal police post on Tuesday night, and local residents created a ruckus at Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district today. A murder case was registered against an Inspector, a head constable and five constables in Kashipur police station. The Udham Singh Nagar SSP has suspended four police personnel, including Kashipur SHO. Meanwhile, Katoratal police officials claimed that the boy committed suicide in the police station.

According to information, Hamid Ali, a resident of Kazibagh, had filed a complaint that Jiauddin Raza, a resident of Bailjudi village, had eloped with his daughter. Acting on the complaint, Katoratal police post personnel arrested Raza. His relatives alleged that policemen brutally assaulted Raza for three days to force him to admit that he eloped with the girl. According to residents, they had visited the police post many times but the policemen did not allow them to meet Raza.

They say Raza breathed his last in the police post. The policemen had taken Raza to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. The residents created a ruckus at the police post and the hospital. Raza’s father Mohammad Yamin in his complaint stated that Katoratal stadium police post in charge Praveen Singh Rawat, constables Balwant Singh and Praveen and five other policemen had called him to the police post on February 26. He heard the agonising cries of his son when the policemen were brutally thrashing him in the police post in the presence of Hamid Ali.

Raza’s post-mortem was performed in the presence of Tehsildar Sanjay Kumar. A panel of doctors comprising Dr Rajeev Mohan, Dr RK Sundriyal, Dr Upendra Raj, and Dr PK Sinha conducted the post-mortem that was also videographed by the local administration. Meanwhile, a heavy police force was deployed in the city.

Udham Singh Nagar SSP Santhil Abudai Krishanraj has suspended Kashipur SHO OP Sharma, police post in charge Praveen Singh and constables Balwant and Veerandra with immediate effect.

DIG, Kumaon, Ajay Rautela said a case had been registered and an inquiry would be done.

Meanwhile, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has written to the Udham Singh Nagar SSP seeking an explanation in the custodial death of the teenage boy in Kashipur.