Four cops booked for custodial death of man in Haryana’s Bhiwani

Haryana Police booked a case against the cops in Bhiwani on Sunday night after the victim’s family kept his body on the road demanding registration of an FIR against them

Three policemen, including the station house officer (SHO) of Bawani Khera police station, were booked after a 21-year-old man accused of abducting a minor had died in custody on the night of September 4.

The accused Haryana cops have been booked under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC, Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act. (AFP)

Accused SHO Hari Om, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sudesh, and munshi Sombir, all posted at Bawani Khera police station, and the unidentified maternal uncle of the minor girl, who is also a Haryana Police personnel, have been booked under Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act.

In his complaint, the deceased’s brother Kashmiri said that his brother Raj Kumar had left the house on August 27 saying he will visit their maternal uncle’s village but did not come back.

“Police called my family to Bawani Khera police station on September 2 and released us in the wee hours of September 3 after thrashing us. Police arrested my brother and his minor friend from Ambala on September 3. The next day, my brother was found dead inside a washroom and police claimed that he had committed suicide by hanging himself but there were injury marks on his body,” he added.

The complainant alleged that they had paid ₹55,000 to investigating officer (IO) Sudesh after selling their buffalo in lieu of not thrashing his brother.

Police have booked a case against cops on Sunday night after the victim’s family kept his body on the road demanding registration of an FIR against them. They left after registration of the FIR.

Hari Om, SHO of the Bawani Khera police station, said all allegations against them are false and baseless. “The man had died after hanging himself with a cable inside the washroom. We are ready to face the investigation,” he added.