Sambalpur man arrested for theft dies in custody, his family alleges torture
Police said Kadir Sheikh was given a clean bill of health in the medical examination conducted soon after his arrest.
A 27-year-old man arrested on charges of stealing a submersible water pump in Odisha’s Sambalpur district died in police custody on Monday, triggering allegations of torture in custody.
Police said Mohammad Kadir Sheikh, a resident of Khistianpada in Hirakud area of Sambalpur, died at the district hospital on Monday, hours after he was arrested in connection with the theft of a submersible pump and some wires from a godown. Kadir had been arrested on Sunday evening following a complaint. Police said the stolen pump and some other items were seized from him.
Police said Kadir Sheikh was given a clean bill of health in the medical examination conducted soon after his arrest. But he later collapsed when he was going to be produced before a magistrate. He was taken to VIMSAR, Burla where the doctor declared him as ‘brought dead’.
His family alleged on Tuesday that Sheikh was beaten through the day inside the police station after his arrest.
“Why were the family members not informed of his detention and how did he suddenly fall ill in court despite being declared healthy earlier at Hirakud Medical. How did he become so unwell in court,” asked his sister.
Sambalpur district Congress president Jay Shankar Mishra met additional SP Amaresh Mishra to seek action against the guilty officers. The delegation also visited Sheikh’s family.
Activist Jayant Kumar Das sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission, alleging that the police tortured him in a location without CCTV coverage. “He was denied food and water throughout his confinement. His family was not informed about his arrest, violating section 41B of BNS, which mandates police to notify relatives,” Das said in his petition.
The Sambalpur police has denied allegations of torture. Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo said “the preliminary post-mortem report suggests it was a natural death and there are no visible injury marks on the body.”