Human rights panel takes note of Zambian youth’s custodial death in Mohali

Commission chairperson justice Sant Parkash has sought reports from the Punjab DGP, district magistrate and Mohali SSP by February 7, 2025, the next date of hearing.

The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the custodial death of a 24-year-old Zambian student, who reportedly died by suicide in the lock-up of the Sunny Enclave police post on Wednesday.

The deceased, a student at a private university in Gharuan, was arrested on November 20 for allegedly murdering his female friend, a Tanzanian national, at her rented flat in Crown City, Khanpur. (HT)

Commission chairperson justice Sant Parkash has sought reports from the Punjab DGP, district magistrate and Mohali SSP by February 7, 2025, the next date of hearing.

The deceased, a student at a private university in Gharuan, was arrested on November 20 for allegedly murdering his female friend, a Tanzanian national, at her rented flat in Crown City, Khanpur.

Police stated that he stabbed her during an argument, leaving her to bleed to death. Her decomposed body was discovered three days after the murder.

Following his arrest, the accused was placed in police custody, where he reportedly hanged himself on Wednesday midnight using a nylon rope. The youth was declared dead at the local civil hospital.

Preliminary investigations into the woman's murder revealed that the couple frequently argued due to suspicions of infidelity, which reportedly led to the crime. Following the youth’s suicide, a magistrate was appointed to probe his custodial death, examining potential negligence by police officers and how the rope was accessed.

Police maintain that the possible motive for the suicide was guilt.