A five-member team of New Delhi district police that had gone to Sambhal to arrest a suspect in an auto-theft case has itself been arrested by UP Police and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody by a court, for the death of the suspect. The Delhi Police team was arrested on charges of murder (302), rioting (147), causing hurt (323), wrongful restraint (341) and Section 34 of the IPC. The team was later presented before the court and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
However, the post-mortem report of the suspect confirmed the cause of death was cardiac arrest. The whole drama began when 50-year-old Khushi Ram Yadav was picked up by the special staff team of New Delhi district police on Friday morning.
He was being brought to Delhi for questioning in a police car when he suddenly collapsed and died before any medical help could reach him.
The incident caused outrage in Sunwar Sarai village to which the suspect belonged. His son, Raju Yadav, alleged that his father was beaten up by the Delhi Police team while he was in their custody, leading to his death.
Explaining the circumstances leading up to the incident Delhi Police sources said the Operation Cell of New Delhi district had received information that someone was using a stolen vehicle in Sambhal.
After receiving the tip-off, two separate teams of the Special Staff and Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of New Delhi district decided to go to Sambhal.
“They informed the in-charges of their respective units, Inspector (Special Staff) Jarnail Singh and Inspector (AATS) Yashpal Singh, who in turn informed their Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) Anyesh Roy and took his permission,” police sources said.
The daily diary (DD) entry mentions that a case of motorbike theft was registered at Mandir Marg Police Station and the police team was going to Sambhal to do some investigation.
On Wednesday morning, two policemen, Head Constable Vijay Nagar and Constable Praveen Kumar left for Sambhal and on Thursday, three more policemen, ASI Satish Chander Sharma, Constable, Sandeep Kumar and Satyender Kumar, joined them.
“On Friday morning, on a tip by their informer, police picked up Yadav, who was a suspect. However, they could not find any stolen motorbike from his possession. They were bringing the suspect to Delhi in the police car for further interrogation when he suddenly became unwell and died before they could take him to a nearby hospital,” the sources added.
The Delhi Police team reached Dhanari police station and informed the police officers present there about the incident. In the meantime, locals gathered outside the police station and started shouting slogans against the policemen.
The victim’s son lodged an FIR against the police team and claimed that his father died because he was beaten up by the policemen while he was in their custody.
Superintendent Police (Sambhal), Tehsildar Singh said that based on the son’s complaint, a case was registered and the arrest was made.
“We produced all the accused policemen before the court and they have been sent to 14-days’ judicial custody. Delhi Police had not informed the local police that they were picking up someone from the area and initial investigation revealed that the victim Yadav was an innocent man and he did not have any criminal background. However, the post-mortem that was conducted later on Friday evening confirmed that the cause of his death was cardiac arrest,” he added.