Elderly woman dies at Firozabad police station, family alleges torture

AGRA: A 65-year-old woman died at a police station in Firozabad district on late Friday night, after which her relatives accused police of assault and torture.

Identified as Pushpa Devi resident of Satyanagar Tapa of Uttar police jurisdiction, the victim’s body was sent for postmortem on Saturday early morning after her relatives staged protest. The autopsy report stated cardiac arrest as the reason of death with no external injuries.

According to victim’s son, Umashankar Lal, “A police team took me, my mother and wife to the police station after our neighbour Akash Dayal lodged a fake complaint, alleging that my family was involved in selling illicit liquor. Cops tortured and assaulted my mother in front of me and she died at the police station,” Umashankar alleged.

Meanwhile, police claimed that the woman complained of chest pain and died in a hospital.

Speaking to TOI, superintendent of police (rural), Mahendra Kumar said, “It’s a completely wrong allegation from Umashankar. After a non-cognizable offence report was filed against him based on his neighbour’s written complaint, Umashankar along with his mother and wife came on motor-bike at Uttar police station to give written complaint against Akash. But unfortunately within few minutes, his mother Pushpa went unconscious, after which he took her to hospital, where she expired.”

“Her medical history also suggest that he was suffering from heart related illness. No cop tortured or assaulted the woman,” he added.

Further narrating the sequence of event, CO Firozabad city, Sanjay Verma, said, “On Friday night at around 9 pm a dial 100 team went to Satyanagar Tapa colony on a distress call of Akash Dayal, who alleged that his neighbour Umashankar was selling illicit liquor in the area. As soon the team reached Umashankar’s home to investigate, he attacked Akash with lathi and injured him, after which the two cops of dial 100 rush the victim for medical aid and later brought him to police station to lodge an FIR.”

“Later in the night, Kotla police-outpost incharge went to Umashankar’s home to investigate and take statements of the neighbour. Irked with FIR, Umashankar along with his mother and wife came to police station to lodge counter FIR against Akash. It’s a false allegation that police brought the family to police station,” he added.

It’s important to note that, earlier on November 22, a 46-year-old man had died in Makhanpur police custody in Firozabad, after which three cops including the station house officer were suspended. On the same night, in Sikandra police station of Agra district, a 32-year-old man was brutally assaulted and tortured to death, after which entire police station was booked.