JAMMU: The Udhampur district administration has ordered a magisterial probe into the mysterious death of a 35-year-old man after he complained of chest pain inside a police lockup in the district early on Sunday, officials said.
Agitated over the incident, the relatives of the victim, Daleep Singh (35), son of Mangat Ram, a resident of Rathian village, blocked the main Dhar road for over three hours, demanding an impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to his death.
Family members alleged that Dileep Singh was beaten by security guards at the district hospital and then handed over to the Women's Cell last midnight. He was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state and was declared brought dead.
According to police sources, Singh was overpowered by security guards posted at Udhampur district hospital after he, along with two others, created a scene and allegedly assaulted an admitted patient, Sharda Devi, who was purportedly having a dispute with her husband.
"Daleep Singh had accompanied a local to the hospital as an attendant to help whose son was sick."
"The husband of the patient and another person fled the hospital while Singh was caught and handed over to police personnel who shifted him to the women's police station shortly after midnight.”
“Singh and the woman were taken into preventive custody and were shifted to the Women Cell as there was no lockup for males, so he was shifted to Police Station Udhampur."
"Singh complained of chest pain inside the lockup at around 3.30 am and was immediately shifted to the district hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors," the officials said.
"The police clarified that he was not subjected to torture inside the lockup."
The police added that a magisterial inquiry headed by Udhampur additional deputy commissioner Joginder Singh Jasrotia was underway to ascertain the facts.
"A post-mortem of the deceased would be conducted by an expert board to ascertain the cause of his death."
Meanwhile, the additional deputy commissioner, who visited the protesters to persuade them to disperse, told media personnel that the high-level magisterial inquiry had already been ordered and strict action would be taken in case anyone was found guilty of negligence.
He requested people with information about the incident to share it or provide material evidence to him so that the inquiry could reach its logical conclusion.
Amit Singh, the nephew of the deceased, said that he wanted justice for the victim.
He also narrated that some visitors to the hospital claimed that security guards allegedly beat a person harshly in a bathroom after switching off the lights.
Former J&K minister Pawan Gupta said a five-member board would be constituted for the autopsy of the body, including two members of the family. He added that CCTV footage would be scrutinised to find the guilty.
He further mentioned that as the economic condition of the family is not good, he has sought help from his fellow persons and will hand over Rs 50,000 to the aggrieved family as an instant relief
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