SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Badaun (UP): A day after a 28-year-old man died in police custody due to “deterioration” in his health condition, police on Saturday, August 29, filed a murder case against his cousin based on a complaint from his brother.
Rajesh was taken to the Dataganj police station for questioning after a clash broke out between two groups during a community feast at Atsena village on Thursday. He was later booked for breach of peace.
According to police, Rajesh suddenly collapsed after returning from the washroom around 4 pm on Friday. He was taken to the Dataganj Community Health Centre (CHC) and later referred to the Badaun district hospital, where he died during treatment.
The last rites of the deceased have been performed.
The murder case against Rajesh’s maternal cousin, Raghuveer, and others was registered following a written complaint from the deceased’s brother, police said.
The complaint referred to a dispute between Rajesh and Raghuveer and alleged a connection between the dispute and the former’s death.
The development comes amid allegations from Rajesh’s family that authorities had failed to inform them properly about his health.
‘No injury marks on body, cardiac arrest cause of death’
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ankita Sharma said the post-mortem examination revealed cardiac arrest as the cause of death, and no injury marks were found on the body.
CCTV footage from the police station showed Rajesh initially lying on the floor, then sitting up and going to the washroom at around 4 pm. Sharma said he collapsed after returning from the washroom, prompting police personnel to rush to his aid and take him to the hospital.
“The CCTV footage makes it clear that there was no assault or torture,” she said.
The SSP also said no information has emerged from the family or any other source indicating that Rajesh was assaulted or tortured by police.
“An impartial inquiry will be conducted by a competent officer, and strict action will be taken if anyone is found responsible,” she said.
Ritesh Bhasin, a doctor at the Dataganj CHC, had earlier said Rajesh was brought to the facility with breathing difficulty and was in a serious condition.
“There were no injury marks on his body,” he had said.
According to police, the clash between the two groups broke out over loud DJ music being played during a community feast at a temple in Atsena. The members of both groups were brought to the police station. One of the members of the other group, who had sustained injuries, was sent to a hospital, while Rajesh was booked for breach of peace.
The Congress has targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the incident.
In a post on X, Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “In Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun, a Dalit man, Rajesh, was picked up by Yogi’s police following an altercation at a Bhandara. He later died in police custody. The question is simple: what happened to Rajesh while he was in the custody of Yogi’s police?
“But this unfortunate incident reflects a larger reality: Dalits continue to face discrimination, exclusion and violence, both covert and overt…” he wrote.
SOURCE : SIASAT
