Cop, two others arrested for custodial death in Mehsana

Three persons were today arrested in connection with alleged custodial death of a 28-year-old man at Mehsana which had led to protest by the local Patidar community.
Police registered FIR in the case based on the complaint of Mahendra Patel, the deceased Ketan Patel's father, last night.
Taluka police here arrested head constable Chirag Parmar, Bharat Barot and his son Chirag Barot today.
Bharat Barot had filed a complaint of theft against Ketan Patel, resident of Balol village near Mehsana.
On June 5, Ketan died in civil hospital, allegedly due to torture in the police custody. It led to a strong protest by the local Patidar community. State Congress leaders visited Mehsana to meet Mahendra Patel and demanded registration of FIR.

According to Mahendra Patel, Bharat Barot abducted Ketan on June 1 and took him to his shop where Bharat and his son Chirag beat him up.

An injured Ketan was then taken to taluka police station and again beaten up there, his father claimed.
Head constable Chirag Parmar then called up Mahendra and demanded Rs 50,000 to release his son, the complaint said.
Mahendra refused to pay bribe. He was again called up on June 3, this time with demand of Rs 16,000 for his son's release, he said.
On the same day, Bharat Barot lodged a complaint against Ketan for theft. On the night of June 5, Mahendra was informed by police that his son had died during treatment at the civil hospital.

The first autopsy revealed as many as 39 injury marks on the body but did not specify the cause of death. Second autopsy, conducted at the instructions of the collector and the superintendent of police, confirmed 56 injury marks which led to the death, Mahendra said.
Though his son was arrested on June 1, FIR for theft was registered only on June 3, after Mahendra refused to pay bribe, the complaint said.
Also, two gold rings worn by his son were taken away, Mahendra alleged.
Police have registered FIR against head constable Parmar, Bharat Barot and Chirag Barot under sections 302 (murder), 364, 365 (kidnapping), 397 (robbery) of IPC, and also under the Prevention of Corruption Act.