Angry mob sets Bihar police station on fire after man, minor wife die by suicide in custody; ASP among 9 cops injured

ARARIA: A 32-year-old man and his minor wife, who were detained on the charge of child marriage on Thursday, died by suicide in the lock-up of Bihar's Araria police, triggering a massive protest by the local residents who ransacked the police station, set the campus afire and pelted the cops with stones on Friday.

Police said they had to resort to lathi-charge and blank-firing to disperse the mob, in which two persons were injured, while three-four cops, including Araria ASP, sustained injuries in the stone-pelting.

Araria superintendent of police (SP) Amit Ranjan said 17 people were detained in connection with the violence and arson, while others were being identified with the help of CCTV footage.

"An FIR has been registered in this connection.

The situation is under control. An FSL team has also started its investigation, while the postmortem of the bodies were being done," said the SP.

ASP among 9 cops hurt in stone pelting

On being asked why the police kept the minor victim of child marriage in custody overnight without the deployment of a woman constable as ‘hazat prahari’, the SP declined to comment, before the phone got disconnected. According to sources, the man was picked up by Tarabari police for marrying his minor sister-in-law, leaving his first wife (the girl’s elder sister), on the complaint of their father.

The 14- year-old was also brought to the police station on Thursday. On the Friday, both were found hanging in the police station. As the news spread, the residents of nearby villages gheraoed the Tarabari police station, 18 km from here, and started the violent protest, alleging police torture to be the reason of their death. They set police vehicles and public sheds on the campus of the Tarabari police station on fire.

A huge force, led by senior officers, from nearby police stations had to be called. The source said the police had to fire 10 to 15 rounds in air, but the bullets allegedly hit a tea-seller, Manoj Kumar Singh, and one Mantu Devi, who were admitted to a hospital. On the other hand, Araria ASP Ram Pukar Singh, station house officer of nearby Sikti police station and seven constables were injured in stone-pelting and were rushed to the sadar hospital.