Mob damages police post after man dies in custody

GHAZIABAD - Angry residents of Loni town in Ghaziabad damaged a police post and blocked traffic on a highway Wednesday after a man died in police custody, officials said. The entire staff of the police post was later suspended.

Police admitted that Din Mohammad, a 45-year-old resident of Loni, was taken into custody for questioning related to a complaint against him for embezzlement of Rs.15,000 in buffalo trading.

His father Allah Banda alleged that officials from the Nithora police post told him in the evening that Mohammad had died following a heart attack during interrogation. They also allegedly asked him to bury his son’s body.

“But when I saw the injury marks on his body, I could not control my emotions and confronted them (the police),” Banda said.

As neighbours came to know about Mohammad’s death in police custody, over 1,000 people damaged the Pushta police post and blocked the Delhi-Saharanpur highway.

Senior police officers, including Senior Superintendent of Police Akhil Kumar, rushed to the spot and controlled the situation.

Kumar said: “I have suspended the entire staff of the police post. If the policemen are found guilty they would be dealt with as per law. Action would also be initiated against the miscreants who damaged the police post.”