Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at the BJP over a custodial death in Uttar Pradesh, saying the ruling party has established such a "jungle raj" in the state that police are becoming synonymous with cruelty.

A 30-year-old man, Mohit Kumar, was arrested in connection with a case on Saturday and taken to Chinhat police station in Lucknow. His condition deteriorated at the police station and he was rushed to a community health centre. From there, he was referred to a hospital, where he died, according to officials.

Kumar's family alleged he died due to police brutality and based on a complaint lodged by them, an FIR has been registered against an inspector of the Chinhat police station and others, including some unidentified persons, a senior police officer said.

"In Lucknow, UP Police detained two youths and one died the next morning. This is the second death in UP police custody in a fortnight. The family alleges that police killed their son," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

Uttar Pradesh ranks first in the country in terms of custodial deaths, she claimed.

"The BJP has established such a jungle raj in the state that police have become synonymous with cruelty," the Congress general secretary said.

Where the protectors of law are themselves taking lives, from whom should the public expect justice, she asked.

Earlier this month, a 24-year-old man who was arrested during a raid on a gambling den in Lucknow died in police custody.

The family of the man, Aman Gautam, alleged that he was beaten to death by police. However, police claimed that he died of a heart attack.