Lucknow: The Kasganj Police in Uttar Pradesh is claiming that a Muslim youth, who died in police custody Tuesday, hanged himself in the washroom of the police station “using the drawstrings on his jacket hood”.
Altaf, 30, had been picked up by the police for allegedly eloping with a woman from his village of Ahirauli in Kasganj.
His father, Chahat Miya, has alleged that the police killed Altaf while he was in the lock-up.
“I myself saw my child on Monday when police came to take him to the police station for questioning related to allegations made by the girl’s family,” Chahat said.
“I was also in favour of a fair investigation but on Tuesday when I went to see my child, the police didn’t allow me. Later in the evening, he died in police custody. We want justice now.”
Youth killed himself: cops
On Wednesday, the Kasganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Rohan Botre released a video statement, in which he claimed that Altaf had used the string from his jacket to kill himself.
“Altaf was brought for questioning to the police station regarding charges of IPC 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (inducing woman to compel her marriage),” the SP said.
“When the police interrogated him, he requested to go to the bathroom. The police officer sent him to the bathroom inside the lock-up, and after a while, when he did not come out, a worker went to check. He had tightened the hood of his jacket around his throat, by tying it to a pipe.”
He added that the police had subsequently taken the youth to a district hospital, where he had been declared dead by doctors.
Five police personnel, including the Kasganj station house officer, two sub-inspectors, a head officer, and a constable have been suspended on the charges of negligence.
The Kasganj Police statement has, however, been slammed on social media, with many, including actor Sushant Singh, raising questions about the police version.
(Edited by Arun Prashanth)
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