Gujarat: Murder case against 3 cops after death of man thrashed in custody

A case on charges of murder has been registered against three police constables in Gujarat's Botad district following the death of a 28-year-old man after allegedly being thrashed in custody, a police official on Tuesday.

Labourer Kalu Padharshi (28) was picked up by the three constables, all attached with Botad Town police station, from his residence on April 14 for questioning in connection with a case. The man, who later alleged that he was severely beaten up in custody, died at a hospital in Ahmedabad on May 14, the official said.

The three accused - Amiraj Boricha, Rahil Sidatar and Nikulsinh Jadhav - have been booked on charges of murder of Padharshi, Botad district Superintendent of Police Kishor Baloliya said.

"An FIR in this regard was registered at Botad Town police station on Monday night. It is alleged that the accused constables thrashed Padharshi when he was in their custody on April 14. Though he was let off the same day, his condition deteriorated afterwards and he eventually died on May 14 during treatment at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital," Baloliya said.

As per the FIR, the three constables went to Padharshi's residence in Botad town on April 14 to seek details about a person not known to him as part of their investigation into a case.

When Padharshi denied having any information about that man, the trio asked him to produce registration papers of his motorcycle.

Since all of them were in civil dress but claimed they were policemen, Padharshi asked them to show their identity cards. Angered by his demand, the accused allegedly started thrashing him and took him to the police station, said the FIR.

Though Padharshi was released on April 14 afternoon, he told his family that he was brutally beaten during custody and the accused policemen smashed his head against a wall during questioning.

When Padharshi's health started deteriorating after a few days, he was first referred to a hospital in Botad on April 17 and then to a government hospital in Bhavnagar city, where doctors diagnosed he was suffering from brain hemorrhage, the FIR said.

On April 20, he was referred to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital where he underwent brain surgery. Since then, he was kept on ventilator support. He died on May 14 during treatment, the FIR said.