Alleged custodial death triggers protest in Jaunpur

VARANASI: Four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were injured when a police vehicle was pelted with stones in Ibrahimabad village of Jaunpur district, where a crowd was protesting against the death of a youth, allegedly in police custody at Buxa police station of the same district under mysterious circumstances early on Friday, a police officer said.

Superintendent of police (Jaunpur) Rajkaran Nayyar said the station officer of Buxa police station (inspector Ajay Singh) and three other police personnel were suspended in connection with the alleged custodial death.

A departmental probe has also been ordered. A request for a magisterial inquiry into the matter has been made. Further investigation is on.

A police officer said the stonepelting occurred when the police asked the crowd to end their demonstration on a path leading to Ibrahimpur village.

The injured police personnel include sub-inspector Jai Singh and three constables.

They were rushed to hospital where they were stated to be out of danger.

The police officer said Mohan Lal Yadav, a resident of Gulamganj

in the Buxa area, filed a complaint that his bag was snatched by unidentified criminals on February 1. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered the same day. An accused, Krishna Yadav aka Pujari (25), resident of Chakmirzapur village in the area, was arrested on Thursday night and was brought to the Buxa police station. About Rs 64,000 of the amount which was snatched from Mohan Lal, was recovered and 13 cell phones, which the accused allegedly took away from different locations, were found from his house. At night, Yadav complained of a stomach-ache. Thereafter, he was shifted to a government hospital where doctors gave him treatment. Later, he was shifted to the district hospital where he died during treatment.

As his kin came to know about the incident, they, along with others, reached the district hospital where his body was kept in the mortuary. The kin alleged that the youth died due to beating by the police.

Later, locals staged the protest at the village.

A police officer said heavy force had been deployed the village and an additional district magistrate-level officer was keeping an eye on the situation there.