State urged to file affidavit on prevention of lock-up deaths

Expressing concern over the rising number of deaths in police lock-ups, the Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra government today to come up with preventive steps to address the issue.
A division bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and A P Bhangale directed the government to file an affidavit stating what preventive measures it proposes to undertake to prevent custodial deaths, by April.
The high court took up the issue of custodial deaths acting on a letter sent by social activist N R Soni, highlighting three custodial deaths inside the Thane central prison.
The court directive comes a week after an accused was found dead in the lock-up of suburban Chembur police station.

While the police claim that Naushad Shaikh killed himself in the lock-up by banging his head against the wall, a co-accused alleged that Shaikh was beaten up by police during interrogation.
Two policemen have been suspended pending an inquiry against them.