A 55-year-old man booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act died in police custody in Bahraich’s Ramgaon area on Thursday night, triggering protests and leading to a murder case against the station house officer (SHO) and other policemen.
The deceased, Rakesh Chandra Srivastava alias Ram Gopal, a Ramgaon resident who ran a medical store at Govindpur intersection, had been detained in connection with the alleged molestation and rape of a 10-year-old girl.
According to police, a resident of Tiwari Purwa filed a complaint on Thursday alleging that Ram Gopal sexually assaulted his minor daughter on February 22. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 7/8 of the Pocso Act.
Police claimed that the accused arrived at the Ramgaon police station with his nephew, Ankur Srivastava, and fell ill during questioning. He was taken to the district hospital, where he died during treatment.
However, the family alleged custodial assault. They claimed SHO Gurusen Singh and other policemen, including constable Pawan Singh, picked him up from his shop around 6 pm and later prevented relatives from meeting him at the police station.
According to the family, around 9 pm the SHO informed them that his condition had worsened. When his son Aniket Srivastava and nephew Ayush reached the station, they found him unconscious. The nephew alleged that police later brought him home in the same condition and left. The family rushed him to the district hospital, where he was declared dead.
{{/usCountry}}According to the family, around 9 pm the SHO informed them that his condition had worsened. When his son Aniket Srivastava and nephew Ayush reached the station, they found him unconscious. The nephew alleged that police later brought him home in the same condition and left. The family rushed him to the district hospital, where he was declared dead.
{{/usCountry}}The death sparked protests at the Ramgaon police station, prompting deployment of additional force from nearby police stations to control the situation.
On a complaint by Aniket Srivastava, an FIR was registered under sections 103(2) and 352 of the BNS against the SHO and other unidentified policemen, including charges of culpable homicide. Senior officials said the probe has been transferred to the inspector in-charge of Kotwali Dehat police station to ensure impartiality.
Police said the body has been sent for the post-mortem examination and both cases — the one against the deceased and the one against the policemen — are under investigation. Heavy police deployment remains in place, though officials said the situation is under control.