In an alleged case of death in police custody, 32 policemen have been shunted from the police station to the police lines in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
According to Jhunjhunu SP Sharad Chaudhary, Pappu Ram Meena (28), a resident of Sipur in Ajitgarh, was arrested on charges of theft on Sunday evening. As his health deteriorated during interrogation at the police station, he was rushed to the hospital, where he died during treatment.
Denying any assault, the SP said that the matter will be investigated impartially and that further action will be taken based on the postmortem report. However, considering the seriousness of the case, 32 policemen — from the SHO to constables — have been transferred to Police Lines, Jhunjhunu.
Khetri police station in-charge Gopal Lal said that Pappu Ram Meena was arrested in connection with the theft of 200 sacks of guar.
During interrogation, Meena reportedly started feeling uneasy and soon began vomiting. The police then took him to the government hospital in Khetri, from where he was referred to BDK Hospital. He died during treatment late that night.
Meanwhile, the deceased's father, Hanuman Prasad, alleged that Pappu was taken into custody on April 6 and was brutally beaten that night, leading to swollen legs and a condition so severe that he couldn’t walk. He further claimed that instead of keeping him at the Khetri police station, the police locked him in a room at the Nizampur Mod outpost.
