52-year-old dies in Karnal police custody, 3 cops booked for murder

Family of the deceased, who held a protest and allegedly vandalised Nehru Place police post and the Karnal police station, is accusing the police of custodial torture.

A 52-year-old man, who was in custody of the Karnal police, was found dead on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Subsequently, three cops were booked for murder. The deceased has been identified as Jeba Singh Ram, a resident of Karnal’s Chand Saraya Colony.

A police official said that the deceased was a junk dealer and was detained by the police when found in possession of 150 gram contraband (ganja). Family of the deceased, who held a protest and allegedly vandalised Nehru Place police post and the Karnal police station, is accusing the police of custodial torture. Police had to resort to firing blanks in a bid to control them.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Karnal superintendent of police Surender Singh Bhoria said three cops, under Sections 302 and 34 of IPC and SC/ST Act, had been booked and that investigation was on.

Ram’s body was sent for post mortem to the Kalpana Chawla government medical college in Karnal where the cause of death will be ascertained after postmortem, Bhoria added.

Police denied the allegations of torture and claimed Ram’s health was deteriorating on Thursday following which he was taken to the hospital, where he died.

However, Karnal SDM Narinder Malik tried to pacify his family, which agreed for a post mortem and demanded action against police personnel responsible for his death.