Autopsy report says Arun Valmiki died of heart attack, not injuries: Agra cop

Agra SSP Muniraj G said sanitation worker Arun Valmiki’s post-morterm was conducted by a panel of doctors. It has assigned myocardial infarction (heart attack) as the cause of death, he said.

AGRA: Arun Valmiki, the 31-year-old Dalit sanitation worker who died in police custody after his arrest on charges of theft, died due to a heart attack, a senior Agra police officer said on Thursday.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offers condolences to the family members of sanitation worker Arun Valmiki, who died on Tuesday in custody of Agra police. (ANI)

“The post-mortem was conducted by a panel of doctors and the report submitted has assigned myocardial infarction (heart attack) as the reason for death,” said Agra senior superintendent of police (SSP) Muniraj G. He declined to give any further details, stressing that the police are still investigating the case.

A person familiar with the matter said the post-mortem report pointed to injury marks on Arun Valmiki’s body but stressed that these were not of such a magnitude that could have led to his death.

Arun Valmiki’s death triggered a political firestorm. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who travelled to Agra to meet his family late on Wednesday evening, said the death of the sanitation worker showed that there was no justice for the poor, Dalits and farmers in UP. The Congress leader cited her conversation with Arun Valmiki’s wife who alleged that the police brutally thrashed her husband and subjected him to electric shocks.

Valmiki was arrested in connection with the theft of ₹25 lakh from the warehouse of Jagdishpura police station in Agra on Sunday.

Police earlier said he allegedly confessed to the theft and ₹15 lakh stolen from the police station was seized from his house. Agra SSP Muniraj G earlier said that Arun Valmiki fell ill when the police were making the recovery from his house and was rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Additional director general of police (Agra) Rajiv Krishna said: “Our officers are in contact with his family. They’re cooperating. Action will be taken if there was any negligence. The family has filed a complaint. They suspect he was beaten up by the police following which he died. FIR was registered and the matter will be probed.”