Ludhiana: Two days after he was lodged in Ludhiana Central Jail, a 26-year-old undertrial arrested in a vehicle-lifting case, died under mysterious circumstances in the early hours on Thursday.
The family of the deceased, identified as Deepak Shukla of Ahemadgarh Mandi, alleged that he was tortured in the police custody which caused his death. They also accused the ASI of Kochar Market police post of taking Rs 25,000 from them.
Following Deepak’s death, the family reached the office of police commissioner Rakesh Agarwal and staged a protest, demanding a fair probe in the matter.
Importantly, a judicial inquiry has been ordered in this case.
Deepak’s father Vinod Shukla said his son had bought a car through a website and later sold the same to someone without proper documents. In January, cops from Kochar Market police post called him for an inquiry, claiming that the car purchased by him was a stolen vehicle.
He said on February 11, cops asked him to come to the police post. Though Vinod visited the police post, cops claimed that he hadn’t done so.
“On February 14, the police called Deepak’s wife Preeti and informed her that he is in their custody. An ASI in the police post demanded Rs 1.15 lakh bribe to seek his release, but the family could only arrange Rs 25,000. Even after taking Rs 25,000, the police lodged an FIR against him,” he added.
Deepak was arrested on February 22 and was produced before a court, which sent him to two-days police remand. On February 24, the court sent Deepak to judicial custody. But the police took him back to the police post and sent him to jail only on February 25, alleged Rajesh.
When he went to the jail to meet his son on Wednesday, he saw that Deepak had problem in walking. Asked about it, Deepak told him that the police had beaten him badly in the custody. Deepak also requested him to take him to the hospital. But by 6am on Thursday, he received a call from the jail informing him that Deepak has died.
Assistant commissioner of police Jatinder Singh denied the allegations, saying on February 24, the procedure to send Deepak had been delayed, which is why he was sent to the jail the next day after medical check-up.
He said Deepak was a part of vehicle-lifters’ gang who used to purchase and sell stolen cars and motorcycles via OLX. During the investigation, Deepak had confessed to the crime and named two members of his gang. “The police had also recovered three cars and two motorcycles from his possession,” he said.
He said the postmortem report will reveal the cause of death.
The family of the deceased, identified as Deepak Shukla of Ahemadgarh Mandi, alleged that he was tortured in the police custody which caused his death. They also accused the ASI of Kochar Market police post of taking Rs 25,000 from them.
Following Deepak’s death, the family reached the office of police commissioner Rakesh Agarwal and staged a protest, demanding a fair probe in the matter.
Importantly, a judicial inquiry has been ordered in this case.
Deepak’s father Vinod Shukla said his son had bought a car through a website and later sold the same to someone without proper documents. In January, cops from Kochar Market police post called him for an inquiry, claiming that the car purchased by him was a stolen vehicle.
He said on February 11, cops asked him to come to the police post. Though Vinod visited the police post, cops claimed that he hadn’t done so.
“On February 14, the police called Deepak’s wife Preeti and informed her that he is in their custody. An ASI in the police post demanded Rs 1.15 lakh bribe to seek his release, but the family could only arrange Rs 25,000. Even after taking Rs 25,000, the police lodged an FIR against him,” he added.
Deepak was arrested on February 22 and was produced before a court, which sent him to two-days police remand. On February 24, the court sent Deepak to judicial custody. But the police took him back to the police post and sent him to jail only on February 25, alleged Rajesh.
When he went to the jail to meet his son on Wednesday, he saw that Deepak had problem in walking. Asked about it, Deepak told him that the police had beaten him badly in the custody. Deepak also requested him to take him to the hospital. But by 6am on Thursday, he received a call from the jail informing him that Deepak has died.
Assistant commissioner of police Jatinder Singh denied the allegations, saying on February 24, the procedure to send Deepak had been delayed, which is why he was sent to the jail the next day after medical check-up.
He said Deepak was a part of vehicle-lifters’ gang who used to purchase and sell stolen cars and motorcycles via OLX. During the investigation, Deepak had confessed to the crime and named two members of his gang. “The police had also recovered three cars and two motorcycles from his possession,” he said.
He said the postmortem report will reveal the cause of death.
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