Custodial death: Mob beats up cop, MLA in Bihar

A mob protesting the custodial death of an old man beat up a police officer and roughed up a legislator early Friday in Bihar's Jehanabad district, officials said.

As the news that Devki Choudhary, in his mid-60s, who was arrested Thursday night over alleged theft of electricity, had died in police custody spread, hundreds of people surrounded Sakurabad police station in Jehanabad, about 50 km from here.

The mob went on rampage and assaulted police officer-in-charge Vijay Kumar, a district police official said.

"Angry people roughed up officer in-charge of the police station. Some of them used slipper and slaps to beat Vijay Kumar," a police official said.

Ruling Janata Dal (United) legislator Abhiram Sharma also faced the angry people and was forced to leave the police station when he tried to pacify them.

The dead man's family said he died in police custody after he was badly beaten up and tortured by police.

However, Jehanabad Superintendent of Police Shyali Dhurat said the old man died due to cold.