Judicial inquiry ordered into ex-serviceman's 'custodial' death

A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the alleged custodial death of a 60-year-old former serviceman in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district last week, an official said today.

Naik (retd) Prahlad Singh was detained at Kumher police station for allegedly creating nuisance in a drunken state. Singh apparently hanged himself from one of the bars using a blank provided in cells, District Inspector General Malini Agarwal had said.

However, the army's administrative commandant in Bharatpur had written to the district collector on Monday, alleging that Singh died due to severe beating and third-degree torture.

Denying that the judicial enquiry was ordered after army intervention, District Collector Sandesh Nayak told PTI such inquiry was a protocol and the same was followed immediately after Singh's death.

Army sources said today that they had received the copy of the Monday's order from the district administration.

Refusing to comment on the issue, Station House Officer Brijesh Meena said he was posted at the Kumher police station a day after the incident and would not like to comment as a judicial inquiry was pending.

Singh's family members had also lodged a complaint with the police, stating that it was not a case of suicide.