Wife booked for abetment of suicide after husband dies in police custody

On Wednesday, the woman had approached the Vijay Nagar police with a complaint. She accused her husband of domestic violence, after which he was picked up.

Following the death of a 45-year-old man in police custody at Vijay Nagar police station on Wednesday evening, the Ghaziabad police on Thursday booked the man’s wife for abetment.

According to the police, he was later found hanging in the lockup, and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead. (Getty Images/iStockphoto (Representative Image))

Four policemen from the station have also been suspended, police said.

On Wednesday, the woman had approached the Vijay Nagar police with a complaint. She accused her husband of domestic violence, after which he was picked up.

According to the police, he was later found hanging in the lockup, and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.

The police said that on the basis of woman’s complaint, they had booked her husband under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The police said the brother of the deceased on Thursday submitted a complaint against the woman.

“On Thursday, the deceased’s brother gave a police complaint alleging that the woman would harass her husband often. The complainant told us that that the deceased was upset over it. On the basis of the complaint, we have booked the woman (deceased’s wife) under IPC section 306 (abetting suicide),” said Abhishek Verma, superintendent of police (city).

On Thursday, based on a circle officer’s enquiry, four police personnel, including a constable, two head constables and the station house officer, were also suspended for alleged lax supervision and dereliction of duty.

A panel of doctors conducted the autopsy at the Hindon post mortem house on Thursday evening, as per procedure laid down for deaths in police custody.

When asked whether the deceased had told the police about alleged harassment from his wife in a declaration, Verma, said, “We do not have any dying declaration of the deceased with us. Since the incident took place at the police station, we suspended the four personnel. The brother should be asked about alleged harassment since he gave us the complaint.”

Meanwhile, a magisterial inquiry has also been initiated into the custodial death.

“As per the law, I have ordered for a magisterial inquiry in the case and it is assigned to the city magistrate. The inquiry is to be completed within seven days,” district magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey, said.