Nine MP cops suspended after custodial death in Gurugram

Nine officers from the Madhya Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (MP ATS) have been suspended following the custodial death of a suspect in a terror funding case at a hotel in Gurugram. The suspended officers include an inspector, a head constable and several constables.

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The deceased, 25-year-old Himanshu Kumar, reportedly fell from the third floor of a Sohna hotel on January 7 while allegedly attempting to escape custody. Himanshu had been brought to the hotel, along with five others, for questioning by the squad in connection with a suspected hawala-based terror funding racket. The local Gurugram police stated they had no prior information about the operation conducted by the MP ATS.

According to initial reports, Himanshu excused himself to use the toilet but instead moved towards the balcony and fell while allegedly trying to flee. Critically injured, he was rushed to a government hospital in Sohna, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident, led by a senior division judicial magistrate in Haryana. Meanwhile, based on a complaint filed by Himanshu’s uncle, Chandan Kumar, a case of murder, wrongful confinement and voluntarily causing hurt has been registered against the MP ATS officers at the Sohna City Police Station in Gurugram.

“Himanshu was innocent and was wrongfully confined by the MP ATS without any warrant. He had come to Gurugram for army recruitment exams,” alleged Chandan. He further accused the officers of pushing Himanshu from the balcony and murdering him.

The Sohna police confirmed the registration of a case under relevant sections against the MP ATS team, citing Chandan's complaint.

The MP ATS had detained six individuals for questioning as part of a probe into an alleged terror funding racket with suspected overseas links. The investigation stemmed from a cyberfraud case being handled by cybercrime officers in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.