Custody death in Delhi lockup sets off torture row
THE FAMILY members of the deceased alleged that the police thrashed him inside the lock- up and also forced him to consume liquor. The police, however, refuted the allegations.
New Delhi: In a suspected case of custodial death, a man arrested for allegedly raping a minor found dead inside the police lockup in outer North Delhi. The family members of the deceased alleged he was beaten up and tortured inside the police station. However, the police said he committed suicide inside the lockup. Dharmendra, 40, was a resident of Swaroop Nagar area in North Outer district. He was out on parole and presently staying with his family.
A 40- year- old man, who was arrested on charges of raping a minor girl, was allegedly found hanging inside the lock- up of Samaypur Badli police station. The deceased, Dharmendra, who was lodged in jail in a case of murder- cum- robbery, was released on parole in March this year.
“But due to the successive lockdowns amid Covid- 19, his parole period was extended,” the police said.
Constable Yashveer, who was posted on sentry duty in Samaypur Badli police station where the man was found hanging, has been placed on suspension for negligence, the police said.
The family members of the deceased alleged that the police thrashed him inside the lock- up and also forced him to consume liquor. The police, however, refuted the allegations.
According to the police, on Saturday, a complaint was received against Dharmendra at Swaroop Nagar police station alleging him of entering a neighbour’s house and raping a 14- year- old girl who was alone at her house while her mother, a labourer, was out for work.
According to DCP ( Outer North) Gaurav Sharma, based on her complaint, a case was registered under
Sections 376 ( punishment for rape) and 506 ( punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and the provisions of the Pocso Act. “The accused was arrested after he was found hiding at the house of his relative. After being arrested in connection with the rape case, the accused was lodged in a lock- up of Samaypur Badli police station since there is no lock- up in Swaroop Nagar police station,” said the DCP.
“On Sunday, the accused hanged himself with a bed- sheet tied around the bars of the lock- up gate. He was immediately rushed to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital but was declared brought dead by the doctors,” said the DCP. The police said the accused was previously convicted in a case of sodomy registered at Alipur police station, wherein he entered the house of a 10 year- old boy and forcefully committed sodomy on him.
He had also been convicted in a case of murdercum- robbery registered at the Khajuri Khas police station.