Arrested man dies in police custody in Dumka

A 30-year-old man, arrested for planning to execute a robbery, allegedly died in police custody by committing suicide on Monday night under Sikaripara police station in Jharkhand’s Dumka district.

The deceased, Ashish Tudu, and his friend Jai Narayan Bhagat were picked up by the police from Belboni in Dumka’s Maluti area while they were allegedly planning to execute a robbery on Monday.

According to the police, both accused were kept at a vacant flat of a three-storied police quarters for questioning. The deceased, however, reportedly hanged himself from the ceiling of the kitchen in the night.

Dumka superintendent of police (SP) YS Ramesh said, “An explanation has been sought from Sikaripara police station officer-in-charge Satyendra Narayan as to why the accused were kept at a vacant flat instead of lock-up at the police station. The officer has been asked to furnish his reply within 24 hours.”

“As per information gathered from family members, the deceased was mentally ill. According to his wife, he was in treatment under a local doctor,” he said.

On Tuesday morning, the SP visited Sikaripara police station to inquire into the matter.

The body, which was brought down from the ceiling in presence of executive magistrate Santosh Kumar Choudhary, was sent for autopsy.

Ashish Tudu, a resident of village Piparjori under Maheshpur police station of the adjoining Pakur district, had earlier been to jail in some other case, his wife Lalita told the police.

First Published: Aug 07, 2019 15:08 IST