No custodial deaths: Delhi police on 3 deaths in 12 days in police stations

With three custodial deaths reported within 12 days, the Delhi police have been in the spotlight for wrong reasons, however the police claim all three cases of deaths do not fall into the category of custodial deaths and that the department has been investigating the cases to ascertain the reasons.

All three deaths were reported between May 27 and June 7. In all the cases, the deceased were called to the police station for investigation purposes. The police claimed they were not beaten up, while the families of the deceased said the they were brutally beaten up by the police.

In the most recent case, three policemen were suspended after 25-year-old Govind Yadav, who was arrested for allegedly supplying illicit liquor in North East Delhi's Nand Nagri, died in police custody on Thursday night. While the police claimed that the three were suspended for procedural lapse, the victim's family alleged that he was beaten to death.

In earlier two cases, just a day before Govind's death on Wednesday, a 25-year-old man Vipin died after he was brought in for questioning at Delhi Cantt police station. He was picked up on charges of cheating an ex-serviceman. Police claimed he suffered an epileptic attack.

Before this, a 55-year-old man died after he fell off the balcony of the Bawana police station, immediately after he was questioned about his son's whereabouts. The incident was reported on May 27. The police claimed that the death was a suicide and not a custodial death.

When IANS inquired about the increasing cases of custodial deaths, Delhi police maintained that the deaths do not fall into the category of custodial deaths.

Speaking to IANS, the Delhi police Public Relations Officer and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) said, "Delhi police has always followed rules and regulation at every step. We make it clear that the deaths were not custodial deaths, but to make sure that there is no foul play, we have initiated investigation in the cases."

--IANS

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