Dharavi teen’s death: Father writes to CM, police to transfer case to crime branch
Ravindra Jaiswar, father of 17-year-old Sachin Jaiswar who died at Lokmanya Tilak Hospital on July 21, has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking an independent inquiry into his son's death. The family has also submitted a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) asking for investigation to be transferred to the Mumbai crime branch.
Ravindra Jaiswar's letter says, “My son was let off on July 14 at 10.30pm by the Dharavi police only after his condition worsened due to the torture during detention at the police station. He was detained inside a toilet at the police station where he was beaten up brutally with batons, belts, bare hands and kicked by the police. He had developed physical injuries on his hands, legs, chest and head after he was let off by the police. My son died at Lokmanya Tilak Hospital at Sion on Saturday night. As per the doctors, my son died due to leptospirosis. However, the Dharavi police are responsible for his death".
"My son was tortured inside the toilet by the police since my family belongs to the scheduled caste,” alleged Ravindra.
Sunil Jaiswar, Sachin's brother told The Free Press Journal, “CCTV footage at the Dharavi police station and near our house by Sanjay Cement Shop should be thoroughly scrutinised since the police have alleged that my brother was let off on July 14 at 8am. A First Information Report (FIR) should be registered for murder (Section 302) against officials who are responsible for Sachin's death. A magisterial inquiry should be conducted in this matter and the officials found guilty should be suspended.”
On July 13, the police picked up Sachin at around 1am, as a suspect in a mobile theft case registered at Dharavi police station on July 12 at 9pm. “The complainant who had registered the mobile theft offence, had also visited my house on July 13. Despite the complainant informing police at the identification parade that it was not my brother who had conducted the robbery, the police detained him. Another 18year-old youth, K Ali, was picked up by the police from Dharavi," added Sunil.
Despite repeated calls and text messages, Rajeev Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) remained unavailable.
On Saturday, the civic health department claimed they hadn’t received any reports from Sion hospital which stated that Sachin was suffering from leptospirosis. "As we did not received any reports so we can not comment on this,” said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health official, BMC. Dr Jayshree Mondkar, Acting Dean, Sion Hospital, stated that they had sent Sachin’s samples to the Kasturba hospital to confirm about leptospirosis.