Police deny death of murder accused in custody in UP's Sitapur

The suspected custodial death of an accused in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh has created a flutter in the police administration. A person aged 45, who died in a police lock-up, was among the six accused wanted in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party sector in-charge Ramlotan.

Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh): People and relatives are on the boil over the custodial death of an accused wanted in the BSP leader murder case in the Piswaun area in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh. On other hand, police refuted the allegations, saying, "The accused died midway while he was being taken to the police station for questioning after suffering a cardiac arrest."

Sharing information about the complaint lodged by slain BSP leader Ramlotan's son in which six persons were named accused, including a forty-five-year-old Raju, ASP Narendra Pratap Singh said, "In the complaint, it was mentioned that six persons beat up BSP leader Ramlotan who was the sector in charge of the party, with lathis and sticks leading to his death. We were bringing Raju to the police station for questioning. But while he was being taken to the police station he complained of chest pain and had vomiting bouts. So, instead of taking him to the police station, the accused was rushed to the nearby community health centre. Where doctors attending to the accused said that he had suffered a cardiac arrest and they declared him brought dead."

Speaking further the ASP said, "The body has been kept in the hospital mortuary, and relatives were informed. We will follow all legal formalities as per the norms laid down by the Human Rights Commission. There was no question of the accused dying in police custody."
Dr. Rajiv Kumar of the CHC said, "The accused named Raju was brought dead to the hospital. Chowkidar Shankar Ram brought the deceased to the hospital. We didn't know the exact cause of death. Things will be clear after an autopsy. The body has been kept in the mortuary for post-mortem."