Two arrested in RTI activist’s custodial death in Barmer

BARMER: The district police have arrested two accused in the custodial death of RTI activist Jagdish Goliya, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Mahendra Singh and Gopal Singh, were arrested on Tuesday, they said.

Goliya, 42, died in the custody of Pachpadra police on Sunday, a day after he was arrested in a land dispute case. Last Saturday, Goliya, along with Mahendra and Gopal, was arrested by the police under section 151 of CrPc in the land dispute.

Later, on the court’s direction, Mahendra and Gopal were granted bail and Goliya was sent to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

On Tuesday, Mahendra and Gopal were arrested again following a case was lodged by Goliya’s mother at the Pachpadra police station. In the case, 10 people, including station house officer of Pachpadra police station Saroj Choudhary, have been booked under sections 302, 147 and 120B of IPC. Police said that special teams have been formed to arrest other accused in the case. Soon after the RTI activist’s death, Pachpadra SHO Saroj Choudhary was suspended and other police personnel of the police station were sent to the police line. The probe into the matter has been handed over to Balotra circle officer Subash Chandra Khoja.

Police avoided answering questions on the arrest of suspended SHO Saroj Choudhary, who is also names in the FIR lodged by Goliya’s mother, who alleged that Choudhary had not ensured timely treatment to her son’s internal and external injuries, which led to his death.