Taking cognisance of Rajnish, alias lala’s custodial death, in Dalanwala police station on Sunday, the State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission has sought a recorded report of the whole incident within a week from Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police.
Rajnish’s family members were not found at their home in Vikaslok-III, Sahastradhara Road, Raipur. According to neighbours, they might have gone to their native village to perform Rajnish’s last rites. On condition of anonymity, neighbours said that they were shocked to know about his death in police custody. Rajnish’s family had bought a home in the locality around six months ago and the neighbours were not familiar with them.
The State SC/ST Commission secretary GR Nautiyal said that as the deceased belong to scheduled caste, so the commission had taken suo moto cognisance and sought a recorded report from Dehradun SSP. The commission will examine the police report which will be shown to the deceased’s family. If family members are dissatisfied with the police report and demand further investigation from agencies like State Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CBI-CID) or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), then their request will be forwarded to the State Government, he added.
Nautiyal expressed hope that police would cooperate with the commission by providing sought information on time. SSP Ajay Rautela said, “Regarding this incident, a team headed by the Haridwar CO has been formed and magisterial inquiry is also being conducted. We shall wait for the inquiry report and further action would be taken on the basis of the magisterial inquiry.” The Dalanwala police have arrested the suspected chain snatchers, Nikhil and Rajneesh Singh, on Saturday night on the basis of CCTV footage.
According to police, both had confessed to having snatched two gold chains. Both fell ill on Sunday morning and were taken to Coronation Hospital for treatment where Rajnish was declared brought dead by doctors.