Dainik Nation News Portal
DAINIK NATION BUREAU
The death of a minor boy in police custody in Kashipur of Udham Singh Nagar district on Tuesday night has landed the police in a grave embarrassment. More so as the 17-year boy from the minority community was kept in police custody at Katoratal police post for the past four days in connection with an elopement case in contravention of the rules. Local police claimed that the boy had hanged himself with a rope in the police lock-up. However, the question that begs answer is how the boy managed to get hold of a rope to hang himself with in the lockup. Heads have started rolling as at least three policemen, including the police station in-charge, have been suspended soon after the matter came to the fore. It is learnt that the boy was taken to a local government hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Soon after the news of the boy’s death spread, the relatives of the deceased along with a group of locals protested at the local hospital where he was taken to. They accused the police of beating him to death while he was in their custody. The cops faced difficulty in sending the body for post-mortem. PAC jawans along with additional forces were deployed at government hospital and in some areas of Kashipur town with the situation spiraling out of control. DIG Kumaon Ajay Rautela said that the body was buried on Wednesday evening in the presence of heavy police forces.
Meanwhile, the autopsy report that came around the same time confirmed the police version of the boy having hanged himself to death. The situation was stated to be tense, though under control.
Police sources said that the minor was being questioned over the elopement case since February 26. They also admitted that he was being kept in police custody for the past four days.
Udham Singh Nagar SSP Senthil Akdai Krishna Raj S said that Kashipur inspector, Katoratal post in-charge and two constables were suspended with immediate effect. A case under sections 302/201/342 of IPC was registered against Katoratal post in-charge, a constable and girl’s father and brother in the Kashipur police station.
Earlier, a Kajiwala Mohalla (Kashipur) resident had registered a complaint with the police, stating that his daughter who had been missing for some days had been abducted by some persons.
State IG (law and order) Deepam Seth said that situation is being monitored by the top cops from the police headquarters. “Additional police forces have been rushed to the place. The situation is now under control. The matter would be thoroughly investigated. We are, however, concerned over the report of the minor being kept in the police lock up for around four days. Besides, no document has been found regarding the case in the police station. This amounts to violation of the rules. The guilty police officers and the policemen would not be spared,” he said.
