Barmer SP removed, SHO suspended after Dailt death in police custody
Barmer SP Sharat Choudhary was removed from his post late last night after SHO Deep Singh was suspended over a Dalit youth's death in custody, police said on Friday. Twenty-four year old Jitendra Khatik was detained for committing theft on Wednesday, without an FIR, and died while in police custody on Thursday.
The matter was raised by Nagaur MP and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party convenor Hanuman Beniwal, following which fist the Station House Officer of Barmer Rural was suspended, and then the Superintendent of Police was removed from post until further orders. The entire staff at the police station is in the line of fire as the incident has turned political after the RLP laeder raised questions on police working.
Beniwal has asked how can a youth be detained and tortured without any case registered against him. He could have been called for investigation but keeping him in police custody raises questions, he said. The Rajasthan government is expected to respond to Beniwal's questions in the Assembly on Friday.
Khatik's family members said that they went to meet him on Thursday morning and at that time, he complained about police beating him. They came back after meeting him. However, his health deteriorated in afternoon suddenly in police station from where he was shifted to hospital.
The family has alleged that the youth was beaten and tortured leading to his death. The SHO did not care for him when he had fallen ill and the constable also took him to hospital, not in an ambulance but in normal vehicle when he was quite unwell, the family said. The doctors declared Jitendra Khatik as brought dead. A post mortem is yet to be conducted. The issue was raised in the Assembly on Thursday.
A judicial inquiry has also been ordered in the matter with Jodhpur IG Navjyoti Gogoi reaching Barmer on Thursday to look into the matter. Barmer SP Choudhary on Thursday admitted that Khatik was picked up for questioning but no case was registered against him. "A medical board has been formed to conduct his post mortem and the SHO suspended while the entire staff of police station has been sent to lines." Late on Thursday even Chowdhury was declared APO till further orders.
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