Three cops suspended after JD(U) leader dies in custody

The deceased, Ganesh Ravidas, was the Nagarnausa block president of JD(U)’s Mahadalit cell and was detained by the police on Wednesday.

Three policemen, including an SHO, were on Friday suspended and arrested following the death in custody of a 52-year-old JD(U) leader, who allegedly hanged himself inside the Nagarnausa police station in Nalanda district on Thursday evening, a day after being detained in connection with a minor’s elopement.

Local residents protest on highway after the incident. (HT Photo)

The deceased, Ganesh Ravidas, was the Nagarnausa block president of JD(U)’s Mahadalit cell and was detained by the police on Wednesday.

On Thursday, when Ravidas did not come out of the toilet in the police station for a long time, the police broke inside the toilet to discover that he had hung himself. He was rushed to a primary health centre, where the doctors declared him brought dead.

As news of the death spread, locals gathered outside the police station and started protesting, alleging that the police had tortured Ravidas and forced him to kill himself. Some of them pelted stones at the police station and blocked the Patna-Nalanda National Highway 30A, burning tyres and disrupting traffic for a few hours. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the angry crowd. Some policemen and protesters sustained injuries in the ensuing confrontation.

The police said Ravidas was detained in an alleged case of elopement of a minor girl. He was brought to the police station on Wednesday evening. A man named Naresh Sao had lodged a complaint against 11 people, alleging that they had kidnapped his daughter. The police arrested the parents of main accused Dharmendra Ravidas, who happened to be a relative of Ganesh. They later arrested Ganesh, suspecting him of helping the girl to elope with her lover.

“How Ganesh Ravidas died is being investigated,” said a police officer, adding that Ganesh was not named as an accused.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the custodial death and an autopsy will be conducted.

Patna zone IG Sunil Kumar, DIG (central range) Rajesh Kumar and a forensics team rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. On instruction of senior police officials, Kamlesh Kumar, SHO of Nagarnausa police station, ASI Balwinder Rai and chowkidar Sanjay Paswan were suspended and arrested.

A case under the SC/ST Act and various sections of the IPC has been registered against the three arrested policemen, on basis of the statement given by Ganesh’s elder son.