Not allowed to see body before last rites, claims family of man who died in custody

Over the last 20 years, 1,888 custodial deaths were reported across the country, 893 cases registered against police personnel and 358 personnel charge sheeted. But only 26 policemen were convicted in this period, official records show

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: The family of Vinod, along with relatives, community members and activists, gathered outside the Bengaluru West Deputy Commissioner of Police office on Friday after his shocking death in police custody but were not allowed to even see his body let alone conduct the last rites.

They demanded an explanation on the circumstances surrounding Vinod's death. "The police around 4 pm on Wednesday had picked up Vinod and Cottonpet police were going to produce him at the court. In the night, the Station House Officer came for regular checks and tried to wake up Vinod around 3:30 am and when he failed to respond, the cops took him to Victoria Hospital where the doctors declared he was dead," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru West Division, Laxman B Nimbargi told reporters. Rejecting the police version, Vinod's family alleged that he was picked up by the police much earlier. "Three policemen picked up Vinod around 12:30 pm on Wednesday when he had gone to paint a house with his friends," Subramani, Vinod's brother, told News Trail.

A daily-wage labourer and a resident of Jolly Mohalla in Cottonpet police station limits, 23-year old Vinod Ramachandran had a pending non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him in connection with a dacoity case under IPC sections 399 and 402. In 2017, two cops on patrolling duty on April 20 and 21 allegedly found a gang of four to five persons wielding weapons near the Veterinary Hospital compound near Mysuru Road. The police had received credible information regarding a gang involved in robbing and extorting lone commuters and pedestrians.

The two cops called in more force and arrested the gang from the spot and allegedly recovered two knives, two wooden logs and a packet of chili powder from them. In this case, Vinod was one of those. After being released on conditional bail, he failed to appear before the court and therefore, an NBW (non-bailable warrant) was issued against him.

"On Thursday morning around 5:30 am, three policemen came to our house and informed us that Vinod's health was critical. The cops took my mother to the police station, after which we learned about his death," he added. Vinod's mother alleged that the cops told her that Vinod had died of a heart attack.

"The cops did not even let us see him or cremate him despite our repeated requests," said Vinod's mother. His brother Subramani also alleged that the police took the body to a burial ground near Mysuru Road but did not let anybody see it.

"The body was taken in front of my eyes in an ambulance," he said with teary eyes. "I heard some people in my area talking about my brother's death even before the doctors at the hospital informed us about it. They also said an injury on Vinod's head might have resulted in his death.

''Therefore, we demand a proper investigation in this matter," Subramani said. Community members alleged that this was not the first time the cops had picked up youth from Jolly Mohalla. "The cops treat all youth residing in the slums as criminals," one of Vinod's friends said.

Slum Mahila Sanghatane, a local women’s organisation, has also filed a complaint with the Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes requesting a probe. DCP Laxman Nimbargi says that the case has been handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and an investigation is being carried out.

''We have already registered a case of custodial death. "We will ascertain whether the injury mark on Vinod's head was due to a fresh wound or an old mark," he said.