Youth dies in custody, relatives vandalise Ropar police vehicle

A 25-year-old Nepalese youth died under mysterious circumstances while in custody at the Rupnagar City police station on Sunday morning.

The victim, Prince Bahadur, was in two-day police custody in connection with the disappearance of Shampura youth Amanpreet Singh, who died due to drug overdose near Mohali on April 18.

According to cops, Prince, a suspected drug peddler, was picked up from a hospital on April 16. His family members said two cops came to their house on Sunday morning and said Prince hanged himself at the police station. The relatives said they had met Prince at the police station the previous night. His condition was bad and he could not even stand properly.

They staged a protest outside the police station and vandalised a police vehicle there. Alleging physical torture with sharp-edged objects, they demanded strict action against the erring police officials. Prince Bahadur, a resident of the Gandhi Chowk area, is survived by his wife and a five-year-old son.

Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said, “The statements of the kin are being recorded. Action will be taken according to the NHRC norms. The man was a drug peddler and used to consume narcotics.”