Nawabganj Police Station Death Case: Petitioners demand ₹25 lakh compensation for the family and a High Court-monitored investigation
Prayagraj: Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an investigation into the death of a Dalit man in police custody at Nawabganj police station in Prayagraj, the Allahabad High Court has directed the state government to file its response (counter affidavit) within two weeks.
The petitioners have also demanded ₹25 lakh compensation for the deceased’s family members. The family alleges that the man died due to torture in custody on the police station premises, while the police claim he died of a heart attack.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Advocates Forum and two others, a division bench of Justice Siddhartha and Justice Santosh Rai, in its order on Wednesday, directed the PIL to be listed before the appropriate court on October 10 for further hearing.
According to the petitioner’s lawyer, Charlie Prakash, on May 27, the police picked up Hira Lal, a laborer, from his home in connection with a theft case in which no one was named. It is alleged that no family member was allowed to meet Hira Lal, and later the police informed him that Hira Lal had died. Family members were asked to go to the mortuary at Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital.
The PIL alleges that Hira Lal’s body was not handed over to the family members, and the police cremated him at the Daraganj Ghat in Prayagraj.
“This is a case of brutal custodial death and murder by the police within the police station premises, in violation of Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty),” argued Charlie Prakash, the petitioner’s lawyer.
They demanded the formation of a high-level, independent, and impartial committee headed by a retired High Court judge to investigate the illegal detention, custodial torture, and custodial death of Hira Lal, a resident of Narrepar village, Buduna, under the Nawabganj police station.
The PIL also stated, “The investigation should be conducted under the supervision of the High Court and should submit its report within a stipulated time.”
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy: Hindi News