Man found hanging inside Sikkim police station, three personnel suspended
A man arrested in a drug-related case was found hanging in the lock-up of a police station in Sikkim's Gangtok district on Wednesday, July 29, prompting the authorities to suspend three personnel, an officer said.
A judicial inquiry was ordered following the custodial death of the 55-year-old man in Singtam police station. The body was sent for postmortem.
Purney Darjee had recently been arrested under the Sikkim Anti-Drugs Act on the charge of drug peddling and was on police remand when the incident occurred, the officer said.
According to preliminary findings, Darjee tore a part of a blanket and used that to hang himself inside the lock-up on Wednesday, July 29, morning.
"The exact circumstances are being investigated, and all legal procedures have been initiated," the officer said.
In the aftermath of the incident, the authorities placed three personnel attached to Singtam police station under suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
"A judicial inquiry has also been ordered to ensure a fair, transparent and impartial examination of the incident," the officer said.
As mandated in all custodial death cases, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gangtok, has initiated the inquiry to establish the sequence of events and determine the circumstances leading to Darjee's death.
