Gurgaon, November 17
The Gurgaon police is in the dock after a man’s death in its custody.

Sukhvir, who was arrested in a dacoity case yesterday along with his accomplice Rajesh, died today in the police custody in Sohna. While Sukhvir’s family alleged that he died after being tortured by the police, cops claimed that the deceased complained of uneasiness during interrogation after which he was rushed to the Sohna civil hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Sukhvir and Rajesh, both residents of the Likhi village in Hodal Tehsil in Palwal district, were arrested by the CIA staff of the Haryana police. The victim’s brother, Bhola, alleged that Mohan Lal, former sarpanch of Likhi, and five others, had brutally beaten up Sukhvir and later handed him over to the police.

“He was later tortured in the police custody,” he said. Sukhvir’s family members protested against the police at the Sohna civil hospital where the postmortem was being conducted. They were apprehensive that the police would tamper with the autopsy report.

They were later pacified by Judicial Magistrate, Ashok Maan, who arrived at the hospital to conduct a probe into the death. The postmortem was conducted by a medical board consisting of three doctors. Gurgaon Police Commissioner Alok Mittal said action will be taken against police officials, if found guilty. “We are waiting for the autopsy report,” he said. Ex-sarpanch Mohan Lal has been booked on murder charges on the complaint of Sukhvir’s family, he said.