Dalit youth dies in police custody in Jalandhar

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 4

A 26-year-old Dalit youth was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Shankar police post on Monday morning. The deceased has been identified as Balwinder, alias Vicky, a resident of Bajuha Kalan village.

Family members of the deceased said he was brought to the police post on Sunday evening for interrogation but this morning they were informed that he had died. “We suspect the police to have tortured him which led to his death,” alleged angry relatives and villagers flashing his clothes they got from the police post.

The villagers who held a protest said they were not able to believe the police version that Vicky has committed suicide in custody. “How could he commit a suicide when they do not let anyone to even take a belt or even a thread to the lock up? Even if something of the sort has happened, it is solely the responsibility of the cops who detained him there,” they alleged demanding an inquiry into the matter.

Members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union, Kirti Kisan Union and Jamhoori Kisan Union also joined the protest. Hans Raj Pabwan of Pendu Mazdoor Union said the dharna was lifted after the cops agreed to give the poor family monetary compensation, a government job and a thorough judicial inquiry. In the evening, judicial inquiry also started into the matter.

The police officials maintained that he had committed suicide by strangulating himself with a sheet provided to him in the lock up. He was taken to Shankar Civil Hospital for initial treatment and later to Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, where he was declared brought dead. The cops claimed that the family initially was unclear about the reason of his death but got convinced about his suicide later.

SSP (Rural) Satinder Singh said, “Judicial probe has been started into the matter. His post-mortem will be conducted by a board of three doctors in the presence of a judicial officer tomorrow.”

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