Auto driver picked up by cops dies in Ghaziabad, other drivers block CISF Road alleging torture

Protesting drivers alleged that the personnel from the Kanawani police post took Singh to the police post after his auto hit a cyclist who escaped with minor injuries on Sunday night

Hundreds of auto drivers on Monday afternoon blocked the CISF Road in Indirapuram following the death of a 30-year-old auto driver, whom they alleged was tortured by the police. Taking cognisance of the protest, senior police officers said they have initiated an inquiry into the alleged incident and the autopsy of the deceased driver will be conducted by a panel of doctors.

Auto drivers and local residents from Kanawani in Indirapuram block the CISF Road on Monday afternoon. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The deceased driver was identified as Dharmpal Singh, who resided in Kanawani in Indirapuram near the CISF Road. Protesting drivers alleged that the personnel from the Kanawani police post took Singh to the police post after his auto hit a cyclist who escaped with minor injuries on Sunday night.

“The police brought my brother to the police post around 10.30pm Sunday. After two hours, they called me and asked me to take my brother along. When I reached there, Dharampal did not have his shirt or trousers on. I took him home immediately, but his condition started to deteriorate and he told me that he was tortured by the police. I rushed him to a private hospital and then to another one where he was declared dead on arrival in the early hours of Monday (around 4am),” said Murari Singh, brother of the deceased.

“My brother had ₹3,310 on him when the police took him; that money was missing from his pocket when the police handed him over to me. The police tortured him and that led to his death. He is survived by his three children. After the police took him away on Sunday, I pleaded with them that we will pay for the treatment of the cyclist who had minor injuries. But the policemen did not listen. They called me around 12.58am and asked me to come and collect my brother,” Murari said.

Following Dharampal’s death, hundreds of auto drivers collected on CISF Road near Kanawani, and staged a protest on Monday, affecting the traffic from Sahibabad, Vasundhara and Indirapuram to NH-9.

“The role of the policemen who took him to the Kanawani police post has to be probed. We demand justice for the deceased driver,” said Meva Ram Yadav, one of the family members of the deceased.

The police officers said the autopsy of the deceased has been ordered and it will follow an inquiry.

“One of our PRVs received information about an accident around 10.30pm on Sunday. Both the parties involved in accident were taken to a nearby private hospital. The cyclist had some injuries and preferred to be treated at a government hospital. The auto driver was handed over to his family members as there was no injury to him. On Monday, his family took him to a private hospital where he was declared dead. We are getting his autopsy conducted by a panel and the incident will be inquired into,” said deputy commissioner of police (trans-Hindon) Diksha Sharma in a statement on Monday.