Suspected custody death in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - The family of a 69-year-old man has alleged that he was beaten to death in police custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Shravasti district but the charge was denied by a senior police official Tuesday.

Family members of Parulal alleged he was beaten to death Monday night in Sonwa police station of Shravasti district along the Nepal border, about 160 km from here.

According to information reaching here, Parulal, a resident of Mauraniya village, was brought to the police station along with his son and grandson in connection with a land dispute.

Family members of the victim alleged that both he and his son were thrashed by the policemen, who were hand-in-glove with Parulal’s rivals.

Parulal was found dead in the lock-up in the morning, while his son had a fractured arm, alleged their family members.

As the news broke out, villagers took to streets and staged a road block. They also laid a siege around the police station demanding action against the guilty cops.

The siege was lifted only after the arrival of senior police officials who assured the agitated mobs of “suitable action”.

While refuting the charge of “custodial death”, Shravasti Superintendent of Police B.B. Singh said: “Parulal had come to the police station to seek settlement of a long pending land dispute. He was quite unwell and during the course of the night his condition became worse, following which the local police rushed him to hospital, but he died on the way.”

He, however, agreed to get a first information report (FIR) registered against the station house officer (SHO), but added that “the picture would be clear once we have the victim’s post-mortem report.”

Contradicting the police claim, Parulal’s son Vijay told reporters: “The local SHO had last night summoned me, my father and my son to the Sonwa police station, where the policemen led by the SHO gave us a merciless thrashing, that eventually led to the death of my elderly father.”