Murder accused dies in police custody in Rajasthan's Baran; kin accuse cops of brutal thrashing

Kota (Rajasthan) July 28 (PTI) A 26-year-old murder accused died in police custody at Kinshanganj police station in Baran district on Monday, with his kin accusing cops of thrashing him fatally to force a confession.

Lokesh Suman (26) from Barana village was declared brought dead at a hospital in Kishanganj, where he was rushed around 9 am on Monday after his condition deteriorated at the police station.

Police arrested Suman on Saturday for the murder of Babulal Meena, whose body was found on the Ramgarh road last week.

Suman was produced before court on Sunday which sent him to five-day police custody.

“I spoke to the accused till around midnight on Sunday, and he was in sound health. His condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday morning. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead,” Circle Inspector Vinod Kumar said.

The deceased’s kin along with community members accused the police of thrashing Suman fatally, claiming that there were injury marks on the body which pointed at severe physical torture.

The kin also claimed that Babulal Meena’s body was found last Tuesday and Suman was detained the same day, but police officially showed that his arrest was made on Saturday.

The police did not allow them to meet Suman till Saturday, the deceased's brother Mukesh claimed before the media. “The cops came to our house this morning and asked us to reach the police station, where we were told that he had died,” Mukesh said.

Baran Collector Rahitashawa Singh Tomer, SP Abhishek Adansu, investigating officer Omendra Singh later reached the police station and took stock of the situation.

The matter will be investigated as per norms, the SP told reporters. PTI COR ARI