34-year-old man dies in custody at Jahangirpuri police station, kin cry foul

A 34-year-old man died in police custody in Delhi, with family alleging torture. Police cite dehydration; post-mortem to determine exact cause.

A 34-year-old man died in mysterious circumstances while in custody at Jahangirpuri police station in north-west Delhi early Monday, with his family alleging “custodial torture”. Police refuted the allegation and said a preliminary medical examination indicated the cause of death as “dehydration”.

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“It has also been learnt that the deceased was in a weakened condition, suffering from illness, and had a history of substance abuse. According to his family members, he had been consuming alcohol continuously for the past few days. The exact cause of death will be ascertained after a post-mortem examination. Inquest proceedings are being conducted as per law,” said deputy commissioner of police (north-west) Akanksha Yadav.

The deceased was identified as Mohammad Anish, a resident of Bhalswa Dairy in north-west Delhi. Anish assisted his father, Mohammad Anwar, in his wholesale fruit business at the Azadpur fruit and vegetable market.

Sharing the sequence of events leading to Anish’s death, DCP Yadav said that during night patrol duty, personnel from Jahangirpuri police station noticed a man moving in a suspicious manner. He was picked up and brought to the police station around 3.30am for verification and further inquiry.

“While at the police station, the man complained of uneasiness and was provided drinking water. Subsequently, his condition deteriorated and he developed breathlessness. Upon his request, he was immediately shifted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital for medical assistance, where he died during treatment,” Yadav said.

The DCP added that, as per initial observations and the medico-legal certificate (MLC), no external injuries or assault marks were found on the body. “This has also been corroborated by personnel present at the police station, including the sentry on duty,” she said.

However, the family gave a different account. Anish’s family friend, Mohammad Salim, said Anish left home around 2.30am on his motorcycle for the Azadpur market. His bike developed a fault on the way and stopped. He then sought help from a friend, who took him on his motorcycle to the market. On the way, they were stopped at a police picket near the market.

“As the friend fled, leaving Anish behind, the policemen became suspicious and brought him to the police station. We don’t know what happened to him at the station. Since he died in police custody, a fair investigation should be conducted to ascertain how he died. We suspect he was assaulted. All we want is justice and action against personnel if there was any foul play,” Salim said.