A prisoner lodged in the Banda district jail on charges of molestation and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act died under mysterious circumstances on Sunday evening.
The jail officials claimed that the prisoner died of cardiac failure while the family members alleged that the excesses and negligence of jail administration led to his death. They demanded action in the matter.
The local administration claimed that a panel of doctors had been formed for post-mortem examination and any action would be taken according to the outcome of the autopsy.
Reports said that Ajit Kumar Kushwaha of Parshuram Talab area in Banda was an assistant teacher (instructor) in the primary school in Bisanda police station area. He was accused of molestation by a student and an FIR was registered against him by the Bisanda police on charges of molestation while invoking SC/ST Act and POCSO Act. After this, he was sent to jail on March 2.
The family had applied for bail and its hearing was scheduled for Monday. But, Ajit died on Sunday evening.
The deceased’s father, Vasudev, accused the jail administration of committing murder as part of a conspiracy and that his son was innocent. He said on Raksha Bandhan, Ajit’s sister had gone to the jail to tie and at that time he was absolutely fine and had no disease.
The jail administration, however, claimed the victim died of a heart attack. They said as soon as the prisoner fell on the ground on Sunday evening, he was rushed to the hospital but the doctors pronounced him dead.
Medical Officer of the District Hospital, Dr Akash, said that prisoner Ajit was brought by the jail staff who claimed that he was having chest pain.
The body has been sent for post-mortem.
Meanwhile in Farrukhabad, a youth died in police custody under mysterious circumstances. The family alleged use of third degree by the police led to the death. However, the cops said that the victim died in a road accident after being taken to the police station.
The incident took place in Meerapur police station area.
Reports said that one Dileep Yadav (25) of Roop Nagar village under Merapur police station was present with his family at his house on Saturday evening when three policemen, including Sub-Inspector Lavkumar, incharge of Meerapur police station, and Panchal Kumar, in-charge of Pakhna police outpost under the Mohammadabad police station, came to the house and picked up Dilip Yadav, claiming he was ‘wanted’ in a molestation case, and left for Pakhna police outpost.
The family alleged that when they went to the police outpost, they saw the cops using third degree on Dileep in the presence of JCB owners for whom Dileep was working as a driver.
The family members said that in the night, police informed them that they were shifting Dileep when they met with an accident in which Dileep died.
The family alleged that the cops killed Dileep and to hush up the matter, they tried to make it a case of road mishap.
The family members staged a demonstration outside Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar’s residence on Sunday evening after which he handed over the probe to additional superintendent of police and assured the family that action would be taken on the basis of the findings in the probe and the post-mortem report.
