Minutes after arrest, ex-serviceman ends life in police lock-up

Ludhiana: In second such incident in the past five days, an ex-serviceman allegedly committed suicide in police lock-up, minutes after he was arrested on Thursday evening.
Booked under Section 107/151 (preventive detention) of the CrPC for allegedly threatening to kill his wife, 40-year-old Saroop Singh was lodged in the lock-up of Ladhowal police station where he used a sheet to hang himself from the grills.

Saroop belonged to Bokar Dogra village and at present worked as a security guard in a private firm in the city.

Inspector Manmohan Singh, SHO, Ladhowal police station, said around 4pm on Thursday, Saroop’s wife Manjeet Kaur lodged a complaint alleging that her husband had allegedly thrashed her and their kids in an inebriated condition and threatened to kill her with a pair of scissors.

“Thereafter, cops summoned Saroop Singh to the police station where the police team tried to pacify the couple. However, Saroop, who was drunk, threatened to kill his wife in front of us,” he added.

The inspector said as Manjeet also urged cops to take action against her husband, the police arrested him under Section 107/151 (prevention detention) of CrPC at 6.15pm. Saroop was lodged in the lock-up. At 6.57pm, Saroop hung himself using a sheet from the grills of the lock-up.

“A few minutes later, cops noticed Saroop and took him to a hospital where he was declared brought dead,” added the inspector.

But, Saroop’s sister Paramjit Kaur accused the police of being negligent. She said, “It is their negligence as my brother committed suicide in the presence of cops.”

On Friday, Saroop was cremated following the autopsy by a panel of doctors.

Meanwhile, a judicial enquiry has been marked in this case.

Assistant commissioner of police (West) Sameer Verma said it seems that the man took it on his ego that he was arrested on his wife’s complaint. Cops have recorded the statement of kin of deceased on the basis of which they have proceeded with Section 174 of the CrPC.

Box- Second incident in five days

April 7 | An accused in the motorcycle theft case, Karan Kumar, 22, of Bhamiya Road, died under mysterious circumstances in the custody of Janakpuri police. Police officials had said Karan and his accomplice were arrested on April 6 and were lodged in the lock up. The next morning, they had noticed blood coming out of Karan’s mouth after which the police had taken him to the civil hospital where doctors had declared him dead.

Box- Previous cases

March 6 | Arrested in a snatching case, 20-year-old Ajay Kumar of Lohara died under mysterious circumstances at the main gate of Ludhiana Central Jail, when officials of Dehlon police station had gone to leave him as part of his judicial remand. Kin of deceased had initially alleged that the police had tortured him in the custody, but they did not lodge any complaint. Police officials had claimed that he was a drug addict and he was physically weak

December 5, 2018 | Arrested for allegedly extorting money from people after taking lift in their cars, 35-year-old woman Sapna of Manohar Nagar had attempted suicide by slitting her wrist with a sharp-edged stone in the bathroom of division number 2 police station

Box: SIT to probe jail inmate’s murder

With the autopsy report confirming that undertrial Livtar Singh was strangulated to death in Ludhiana central jail late on Wednesday night, the jail superintendent on Friday formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. The SIT, which includes two DSP-rank officials and one assistant superintendent, has been directed to submit a report within seven days. Meanwhile, Livtar’s mother Satvinder Kaur said he was murdered by the same inmates who had assaulted him some 10 days back. Livtar, who had been lodged in Ludhiana Central Jail for the past one year in snatching cases, was found dead in bathroom of barrack number 1. P 2