A judicial inquiry has been initiated into the custodial death of 32-year-old Yuvraj Manjhi, who died on Wednesday while in the custody of Hanumanganj police in Bhopal. The incident has sparked outrage among family members and raised serious questions about alleged police negligence.
Yuvraj’s health reportedly deteriorated during his appearance in court, after which he was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. His post-mortem was conducted on Thursday amid heavy police deployment at the mortuary to control the situation, as family members and acquaintances staged a protest demanding action against the officers involved in his arrest.
The family submitted a memorandum to Additional DCP Shalini Dixit, calling for accountability. Yuvraj’s mother, Meena Manjhi, alleged that her son was visibly distressed in custody and had pleaded with her not to leave him alone, fearing harm from the police. She said her attempts to feed him were blocked by officers and claimed he had been forced to sit in court for hours without food or water despite his frail condition, exacerbated by a history of tuberculosis and alcohol addiction.
According to Meena, Yuvraj had been recently discharged from a TB hospital and was physically unfit. She also accused a female officer of mistreating her and preventing communication with her son during court proceedings. “Even when he collapsed, there was a delay in taking him to the hospital,” she claimed.
In contrast, Hanumanganj police maintained that Yuvraj was one of three individuals arrested on Tuesday in connection with nine vehicle theft cases. The other two accused—22-year-old Mahesh Baghel and 23-year-old Raju Mandloi—were taken into custody alongside Yuvraj during a vehicle-check operation near Bhopal railway station. Police said that nine stolen two-wheelers worth over Rs 5 lakh were recovered from the trio and that multiple FIRs were registered against them.
Police officials claimed that Yuvraj had confessed to previous thefts and that the arrest was lawful. However, the family disputes this version, arguing that the police had used old photos of Yuvraj from before his arrest to portray a healthier condition than was accurate.
Additional DCP Shalini Dixit confirmed that a judicial probe is underway and assured that appropriate action will be taken based on the investigation's findings. She acknowledged receiving the family’s memorandum and said that their concerns will be considered during the inquiry.
The incident has once again brought the issue of custodial deaths into the spotlight, raising concerns about police accountability and detainee welfare.