Custodial death in Amritsar: Punjab Human rights panel seeks report from ADGP

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, August 23

The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PHRC) has sought a report from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jails, regarding the custodial death of an alleged snatcher, Gagandeep Singh, who was in police remand after 53 mobile phones were recovered from him and his accomplice on August 18. He allegedly died by suicide on Sunday.

The CCTV footage revealed that Gagandeep woke up around 5.30 am and took a stroll in the lockup for some time. Later, he went to the bathroom and did not return. When a constable did not find him in the lockup, he called Gagandeep’s accomplice Satnam Singh, who was sleeping in the lockup. Later, Gagandeep was found hanging in the bathroom. A senior police official

Taking suo moto notice of the news published in The Tribune, the PHRC directed the ADGP to look into the case and submit a report along with the judicial magistrate’s inquiry report before the next date of hearing on October 3.

Gagandeep Singh (27), an alleged snatcher, allegedly died by suicide in the Beas police station lockup on Sunday. According to the police, the entire incident was captured in the CCTV cameras installed in the police station. He died after he hanged himself in the lockup bathroom.

Baba Bakala Judicial Magistrate Vikramjit Singh conducted a probe after getting information from the police about the incident. He analysed CCTV footage from police station cameras and interacted with senior officials.

A senior police official said the incident occurred between 5.30 am and 6 am. He said CCTV footage revealed that Gagandeep woke up around 5.30 am and took a stroll in the lockup for some time.

Later, he went to the bathroom and did not return. When a constable did not find him in the lockup, he called Gagandeep’s accomplice Satnam Singh, alias Sattu, a resident of Dolenangal village, who was sleeping in the lockup. Later, Gagandeep was found hanging in the bathroom by the string of his trousers. The string was tied to a water pipe on the wall.