Picked up on theft charge, man found dead in Khandwa lock-up

A 50-year-old man, who was picked up by police from Mundi near Khandwa on Sunday evening on suspicion of theft, was found hanging in the lock up on Monday morning.

A 50-year-old man, who was picked up by police from Mundi near Khandwa on Sunday evening on suspicion of theft, was found hanging in the lock up on Monday morning.

Khandwa superintendent of police Navneet Bhisen has line attached Mundi town inspector Brijesh Chauhan and four other policemen after the incident. A judicial magistrate is conducting an inquiry, Bhisen said.

The deceased Jogeshwar Bhilala, who hails from Khutfal village in Khandwa district, was a worker in Singaji thermal power plant in Dongaliya. He was picked up by Mundi police on suspicion of stealing iron parts from the company premises.

Jogeshwar’s family members said he did not return from duty on Sunday. Sources said that he was taken to Mundi police station, subjected to interrogation without registering a First Investigation Report, and kept overnight in the lock up.

On Monday morning, a police guard raised alarm after finding him hanging in the lock up. The deceased had used his gamchha (piece of cloth) for the purpose.

While Jogeshwar’s father Babulal Bhilala said that he wants a high level inquiry to ascertain if it was a suicide or murder, his brother Surendra said the deceased was innocent. “Police did not give us any information of the arrest. Some people in the company, who are involved in theft, have hatched a conspiracy,” Surendra said.

The relatives of the deceased, along with other people from the town, arrived at the police station. The body has been sent for postmortem.