'Man allegedly commits suicide in police custody in JK's Kupwara'

A villager arrested in a case of some timber theft from forest allegedly committed suicide inside a police station lockup in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, police said on Thursday.

Reyaz Ahmad Thekri, a resident of Nandpora-Malikpora village was arrested on Wednesday in a case registered against him under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code and the Forest Act last year, a police spokesman said.

He said he was lodged with other accused persons in police station Qalamabad in Handwara area.

Thekri, however, was found dead in the toilet attached to the lockup, the police spokesperson said, adding the preliminary investigation suggests he had hanged himself.

"Since the death took place in police custody, a magisterial inquiry under section 176 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been initiated," he said.

The body was handed over to the relatives of the deceased, he added.

Police said Thekri was facing charges under section 379 (punishment for theft), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) under the RPC and section six of Forest Act.