Karnataka: Man dies by suicide in police custody, 5 cops suspended

Five police personnel were suspended on Sunday after a man died by suicide in police custody in Honnavara of Uttara Kannada district, the officials said.

Five police personnel were suspended on Sunday after a man died by suicide in police custody in Honnavara of Uttara Kannada district, officials said. According to officials, a man was summoned for questioning in a theft case to the Honnavar police station, who killed himself by consuming cyanide.

Five police personnel suspended after a man dies in police custody in honnavara of Uttara Kannada district. (Representational image)

The 35-year-old deceased was a native of Bihar, who came to the state for livelihood with his father. Both were involved in polishing of gold ornaments.

Police said while investigating the case of gold theft in the Salehittal house of Honnavar town, the deceased was brought for investigation based on the complaint received from the public that he and his father were trying to defraud people by saying that they would polish gold. During interrogation, the accused tried to kill himself by consuming cyanide which he had brought in a bag to drink water. Later he was taken to the hospital, however the police said that he died without treatment.

When the incident came to light, Mangalore IGP Chandragupta visited the spot and issued an order suspending Honnavar circle inspector Manjunath, sub inspector Manjeshwar Chandavar, police constables Santhosh, Ramesh Lambani and Mahaveera. The body has been kept in the Honnavar Taluk Hospital Mortuary and the autopsy was conducted Sunday evening. Human Rights Commission, CID officials are likely to arrive for investigation of the case.

‘’The deceased and his father were summoned to the police station for questioning. During inquiry the deceased requested to drink water,” Uttara Kannada SP N Vishnuvardhana told HT. While drinking water he swallowed cyanide and the police immediately rushed him to hospital but he couldn’t survive, he added. He said the deceased was charged under section 420 (fraud) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as he was cheating people under the pretext of polishing gold ornaments. “We are awaiting orders from the state government to hand over the case to the CID as per procedure. A case was also registered against three policemen under section 324 (voluntarily hurt) and 342 ( wrongful confinement) of IPC. Further investigation is underway,” he added.