Assam cop, arrested for minor’s custodial death, dies in jail

As authorities ordered a magisterial inquiry into Tamizuddin Ahmed’s death, his family sniffed foul play, accusing jail officials and Ahmed’s arrested colleagues of poisoning him.

A retired sub-inspector, one of three Assam policemen arrested on October 17 for the alleged custodial death of a minor eight months ago, died at the Guwahati Central Jail on Sunday.

Police has sought an autopsy to find out the reasons of his death.(PTI FILE PHOTO)

Tamizuddin Ahmed, who retired a few days ago, was lodged in the jail after he was arrested along with inspector Uma Kanta Borah and sub-inspector Azizur Rahman in connection with the death of 14-year-old Raja Ali on February 9.

As authorities ordered a magisterial inquiry into Ahmed’s death, his family sniffed foul play, accusing jail officials and Ahmed’s arrested colleagues of poisoning him.

Pulak Mahanta, additional deputy commissioner of Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, told HT that an inquest (for autopsy) has already been sought.

The district covers Guwahati and certain areas beyond.

Borah was the officer in-charge of Guwahati’s Bharalumukh police station when Raja was arrested on charges of theft. The boy died a few days later at a juvenile home in Boko, a town 60km west of Guwahati.

Post-mortem had revealed Raja had died due to injuries caused by a blunt object. Members of his family alleged the police had beaten him up before sending him off to the juvenile home.

Borah, Ahmed and Rahman were released from their jobs temporarily after the Gauhati high court registered a case on the basis of the autopsy report that pointed at torture. The court had ordered the city police to furnish a detailed report regarding the case within October 23.