Custodial death case: Maha CM orders strict action

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said he has taken serious cognisance of the alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old man in Mumbai and asked the police to take strict action in the matter.

Vijay Singh, a resident of Sion area who worked as a medical representative in a pharmaceutical firm, died after he was detained at the Wadala Truck Terminus police station for questioning in an assault case on Sunday.

The victim's family members and his friend alleged that he died after he was thrashed inside the police station.

"I have taken the incident seriously and asked the police to take action," Fadnavis, who also holds Home portfolio, told reporters here.

Samajwadi Party's state unit president Abu Asim Azmi has demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

Five policemen, including an inspector and a sub-inspector, were already suspended.

Singh allegedly died after he was detained for questioning at Wadala Truck Terminus police station regarding an assault case.

According to a police official, the incident is being treated as a case of custodial death and the crime branch has started probing it.

Police had claimed Singh was released after he complained of chest pain and collapsed at the gate of the police station.

However, Singh's friend Ankit Mishra, who was with him at the of the incident, alleged that the duty officer and constables beat up the victim and did not even give him water when he asked for it.

Singh later died at the Sion hospital.

His postmortem was being conducted at the J J Hospital in the presence of a metropolitan magistrate and guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are being followed, the official added.