Five cops suspended for custodial death

A day after a 28-year-old murder accused was found hanging inside a lock-up at the Indiapuram police station, the police on Monday suspended five police officials, including the station house officer (SHO), Peeyush Khandelwal and Saurabh Trivedi report.

A day after a 28-year-old murder accused was found hanging inside a lock-up at the Indiapuram police station, the police on Monday suspended five police officials, including the station house officer (SHO).

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The police have also registered a case of murder against unidentified persons after the victim’s post-mortem report revealed that he had died due to “asphyxia caused by strangulation”.

Vineet Sharma — who was arrested for the murder of a CISF constable Suresh Sharma and his wife Babli — was found hanging from the ventilation window of a toilet inside the lockup on Sunday. He was found hanging from a rope made of blanket.

The incident happened just a day before he was to be produced before a court, along with his accomplice Narendra. The police said the duo had confessed their involvement in the double murder case.

“He was alive when he was brought down. The police rushed him to the Vasundhara Hospital but he was declared brought dead. According to the post-mortem report, only two contusion marks were found on his legs. A ligature mark (18x1.5cm) was found only on the front side of his neck, which raised suspicion,” said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nitin Tiwari.

Vineet had been facing trial for a rape case too. However, his family has not lodged a complaint regarding his custodial death. “If they file a complaint, it will be included in the murder FIR that we have lodged and will be probed,” Tiwari said. The police have also started a departmental inquiry into the incident.