KOLKATA: Ashura, a rag picker and a mother of five children — the sole “witness” to what had happened inside the Sinthee police station minutes before Rajkumar Shaw (53) died in the police custody on Monday — had gone “missing” on Tuesday morning after she alleged that Shaw had been tortured in the police station.
Ashura was “traced 38 hours later”.
Late on Wednesday, cops said Ashura was traced to her relative’s home and given police protection. A senior police officer said, “No missing complaint was lodged. She has been traced and she is safe. We are providing her police protection.” He added that the protection was given to her because “she is a prime witness for the case”. Ashura, who was earlier detained as a suspect, reportedly told the police that Shaw had bought stolen goods from her.
The victim’s family alleged on Wednesday that the scrap dealer was asked by the Sinthee police to buy “certain items” in kind or pay up in cash to “settle matters.” The cops — three of whom have been “closed” pending departmental enquiry — allegedly used a personal diary page (issued to them by the department to help keep a note of probe progress) to jot down a serial number (E-8072) and list out certain items.
These items included construction materials, marble polish and bathroom fittings that match with the ones “stolen” from a Sinthee promoter on January 17. The family claimed Shaw had been told that the only way he could walk out was that he would have to pay for these items. City detectives are probing the allegation.
According to Abdul Aziz, a security guard of the night shelter on Raja Manindra Road, Ashura was last seen around 8.30am on Tuesday, hours after Shaw’s death had led to trouble and clashes at Sinthee police station on Monday night.
Ashura, who is pregnant, reportedly left with her infant daughter and 14-year-old son, but she left behind three of her other children. On Monday evening, she had alleged how she had been asked to name Shaw as a suspect, to whom she had sold the stolen items.
“After interrogating her, cops summoned Shaw to the police station. “They hit him on his face and chest with a boot. He was taken inside a dark room and assaulted. When he was about to die, cops told me to leave, saying they did not know anything about me,” Bibi recounted before the media.
“We are contacting both the families soon through the homicide section. We are recording the statement of all three cops who are allegedly involved in this case and have seized all the CCTV footage. The probe details will be sent to the relevant human rights commissions,” said the officer.
Ashura was “traced 38 hours later”.
Late on Wednesday, cops said Ashura was traced to her relative’s home and given police protection. A senior police officer said, “No missing complaint was lodged. She has been traced and she is safe. We are providing her police protection.” He added that the protection was given to her because “she is a prime witness for the case”. Ashura, who was earlier detained as a suspect, reportedly told the police that Shaw had bought stolen goods from her.
The victim’s family alleged on Wednesday that the scrap dealer was asked by the Sinthee police to buy “certain items” in kind or pay up in cash to “settle matters.” The cops — three of whom have been “closed” pending departmental enquiry — allegedly used a personal diary page (issued to them by the department to help keep a note of probe progress) to jot down a serial number (E-8072) and list out certain items.
These items included construction materials, marble polish and bathroom fittings that match with the ones “stolen” from a Sinthee promoter on January 17. The family claimed Shaw had been told that the only way he could walk out was that he would have to pay for these items. City detectives are probing the allegation.
According to Abdul Aziz, a security guard of the night shelter on Raja Manindra Road, Ashura was last seen around 8.30am on Tuesday, hours after Shaw’s death had led to trouble and clashes at Sinthee police station on Monday night.
Ashura, who is pregnant, reportedly left with her infant daughter and 14-year-old son, but she left behind three of her other children. On Monday evening, she had alleged how she had been asked to name Shaw as a suspect, to whom she had sold the stolen items.
“After interrogating her, cops summoned Shaw to the police station. “They hit him on his face and chest with a boot. He was taken inside a dark room and assaulted. When he was about to die, cops told me to leave, saying they did not know anything about me,” Bibi recounted before the media.
“We are contacting both the families soon through the homicide section. We are recording the statement of all three cops who are allegedly involved in this case and have seized all the CCTV footage. The probe details will be sent to the relevant human rights commissions,” said the officer.
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