Accused kills self in police custody in Madhya Pradesh; 5 cops suspended

A man allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in police custody in Madhya Pradesh. Five police personnel were suspended for negligence and a judicial inquiry has been ordered in the incident.

Jabalpur: Five police personnel were suspended after a person accused of molestation allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself while in custody here in Madhya Pradesh, an officer said on Wednesday.

Shubham Bairagi (25) was arrested for alleged molestation of a minor girl here on Tuesday, Inspector General of Police (Jabalpur Range) Bhagwant Singh Chauhan said.

The accused was also involved in arms smuggling and during interrogation, he told the police that firearms were hidden in a dilapidated house in the Civil Line area here, he said.

A reward of Rs 3,000 was announced recently for his capture, he said.

Chauhan said when policemen took Bairagi to the dilapidated house, he went to a spot where a pistol had been hidden.

He picked up the pistol and shot himself in the head, the IGP said, adding the accused was rushed to a private hospital where he died during treatment.

Five police personnel, including two assistant sub-inspectors, were suspended for negligence and a judicial inquiry has been ordered in the incident, Chauhan said.

After post-mortem, the body of the accused was handed over to his family, he said.

Meanwhile, family members of the accused staged a demonstration by keeping his body on a road in the Bhantaliya locality, Shubham Bairagi's sister Sonam said.

Sonam Bairagi alleged the police killed her brother and demanded that a case of murder be registered against the erring personnel.

(PTI Report)