A 75-year-old accused was tied and hung from a tree outside a police station in Rajasthan's Dholpur district, allegedly by three policemen, including a station house officer, who were later suspended.
The police had taken the accused, Jayram, into custody in a theft case. The authorities have now suspended the SHO of Sepau police station and ordered a high-level probe.
According to sources, Jayram, belonging to Dausa district, was picked up in a dozen of theft cases. Sources say that the Sepau police tortured him and forced him to admit to his involvement in the theft case. According to the local people, during torture by the police, Jayram cried out loud but no one paid heed. The SHO, Rajendra Kavia, silently stood and watched the spectacle. A local photojournalist in Dholpur made it public by capturing it on his camera. The Dholpur superintendent of police, Surendra Kumar, told this newspaper that the SHO Kaiva will be suspended immediately.
“I visited the site and spoke to the victim. A medical examination has been conducted on the victim,” says Mr Kumar. The authorities asked Dholpur’s additional superintendent of police to conduct an enquiry in it. The Dholpur police said Jayram was wanted in a theft case and the police reached Jayram through a mobile phone details. The victim pleaded innocence.
The state government has decided the SHO would be responsible if custodial death is reported.