Delhi man dies of cops' beating, police deny claim

Three policeman beat a 67-year-old man to death for refusing to fork out money they demanded for letting him erect a Ramlila marquee in a park but police have denied the allegation.

Vimal Chaudhary, son of Iqbal Singh, alleged three policemen Sunday beat his father in a park in north Delhi's Rohini Sector-3 area where he had organised a ground-laying ceremony for Ramlila.

"Following the attack, blood was oozing from my father's mouth. My neighbours and I rushed him to a hospital where he was declared dead," said Chaudhary.

He said his father had procured permissions from the Delhi Development Authority and the police commissionerate for staging Ramlila in the public paek but these policemen approached him and and demanded Rs.1-2 lakh before the tent was erected.

"When my father refused to give the money, they beat him," Chaudhary alleged.

However, police have denied Chaudhary's allegation, saying none of the three policemen had any interaction with the deceased.

A police officer said, "It is yet to be ascertained why Singh's family is levelling allegations against policemen. An inquiry has been set up and we are waiting for the post-mortem examination report of the victim to confirm the reason behind his death."

He said neither any external injury mark nor any bruise was found on the victim's body.