Uday Chand (48), who was allegedly set afire by two policemen in Neb Sarai area of South Delhi, died on Wednesday around 9.30 am. Uday Chand who was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with 90 per cent burns succumbed to his injuries.
Meanwhile, Uday Chand’s son Naveen claimed police had offered money to him for withdrawing the complaint against the police officials. Parents of deceased said that constables had been harassing their son who earned his living by driving an auto-rickshaw. Uday Chand’s family members also staged a protest inside the Safdarjung Hospital and demanded strict action against the two policemen.
The SDM of the area, who came to the hospital to record the statement of the victim, was forced to leave the hospital premises in a huff after the family members of Uday Chand squatted before his car.
Chand’s son Naveen, who also runs an auto-rickshaw at Sainik Farms auto booth, told the police that two policemen, identified as Surender and Rajkumar, had set his father ablaze after his father tried to intervene about the payment that was to be made.
Allegations are that the two constables poured petrol over his body and set him on fire. He was taken to Safdarjung Hospital and breathed his last after battling for his life for over four days. Naveen alleged that the Station House Officer (SHO) of Neb Sarai, Inspector Sanjay has been visiting him at the hospital for the last two days asking him to take back the complaint.
“The SHO came to meet me on November 11 and 12. He told me that the accused policemen are absconding. He then asked me to take the complaint back and also offered Rs 10-15 lakh in lieu of that. The SHO also tried to assure that the family will get help in future too,” alleged Naveen. “The SHO, along with some police officers, had come to meet me on Tuesday. I served them food as they said they were hungry,” he added.
The family members of Uday Chand refused to give their consent for the post-mortem examination of the body until the culprits were arrested. Naveen also claimed that they have not been given a copy of their statements till now.
The SDM’s visit on Wednesday proved a terrible one as the moment he sat in the car, the people lay before his car and started tapping on it. The SDM had to walk out of his vehicle and make a hasty exit.
The protest turned violent as many protestors alleged that they were thrashed by the women police officers. Meanwhile senior officials from the Delhi Police claimed that one of the eyewitnesses in the case who is a woman claimed that Uday had set himself on fire. The medical examination of the accused police officers also showed no residue of petrol or kerosene on their hands.