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Bhubaneswar man accused of cycle theft dies in custody; family alleges torture
Police said the man suffered injuries during the escape bid. He fell ill at the police station and was rushed to the Capital Hospital but succumbed to death, they said.
BHUBANESWAR: A man who was arrested by police in Bhubaneswar on charges of stealing a bicycle on Sunday night died in custody with his family members alleging that he died following custodial torture.
Debendra Choudhury from Kapilaprasad area in Bhubaneswar was picked up by Badagada police on Sunday night over allegations that he had stolen a bicycle. Choudhury, who ran a vegetable shop in Sundarpada area of the city, was returning home from his in-laws’ place at Rasulgarh when Badagada police picked him up and took him to the police station.
Late Sunday night, his wife was asked by the police to visit Capital Hospital where she found her husband dead.
Curiously, police officials said the man who died in custody was Pradip Sahu, who is accused in multiple cases of theft. “He suffered injuries while trying to escape. The injuries led to his death,” said Badagada police station inspector Biswaranjan Nayak.
“At around 1.30am, police knocked on my doors. When I opened the door, they inquired about my name and other details. Though I kept on asking about the reason for their query, they ordered me to visit Capital Hospital where I found my husband dead,” said his wife.
“If the police nabbed my husband at 7.30pm, why did they inform me at 1.30am. It shows that he was tortured in custody.”
“A team tried to nab him at Brahmeswarpatna at around 8pm and he suffered injuries during the escape bid. He fell ill at the police station and was rushed to the Capital Hospital but succumbed to death,” inspector Nayak said.
