A 24-year-old man died in judicial custody in the early hours of Thursday. He was allegedly caught stealing a car and was beaten up by the public, the police said.
The police said that the deceased has been identified as Mesar alias Salman, who hailed from Badaun and was a resident of Badarpur.
The police said they received a call around 3 a.m. on Wednesday and were informed that a vehicle thief has been caught in Welcome’s Kabir Nagar area. “When a police team reached the spot, complainant Hira Lal produced Mesar and said that he was caught stealing his tempo and was beaten up by the public,” the officer said.
The police claimed that Mesar had sustained injuries and was taken to Jag Parvesh Chander Hospital. A medical examination was conducted after which a case on charges of theft was registered. Thereafter, the police said, he was produced before the court and was sent to judicial custody. “Mesar was later referred to Hedgewar Hospital from Mandoli jail and died there around 12 a.m. on Thursday,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, Mesar’s brother Danish said, “Even if he was caught stealing, he should not have been beaten to death.” Danish said he had received a call about his brother’s arrest around 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday and had also spoken to him over the phone. “Mesar said his condition was terrible and he had been beaten up. But he did not say who had done that. He also said that he had not been provided food and water,” the brother claimed.
Next, Danish reached the police station and enquired about his brother, but officers allegedly dodged his questions. He said he was not told anything about his brother or allowed to meet him. Danish alleged that a police officer also asked him for bribe if he did not want any case registered against his brother. “I waited till 8 p.m. at the police station and they finally told me that they had sent him to jail,” he said.
Around 3 a.m. on Thursday, Danish said, he received a call from the police and was told that his brother was in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and he should bring Mesar’s wife around 6 a.m. to the hospital. When they reached, they were informed that Mesar was dead.
“If he was so badly beaten up by the public, then why was he not provided treatment? Why was he sent to jail in that condition?” Danish asked and demanded a probe into the matter.
A judicial inquiry into the matter is being conducted, the police said.
