MP News: Man Wanted In 19 Cases Dies, Kin Allege Police Torture; Cops Deny Claim | Representative Image
Sitamau (Madhya Pradesh): Hours after a man wanted in connection with 19 criminal cases died in Sitamau, his family and local residents blocked the Laduna intersection on Thursday morning alleging that he died following police torture and extortion.
The deceased was identified as Wahid Khan alias Bhayyu Lala from Surajni village.
Wahid’s family members claimed that police came to their house on Wednesday evening, demanding Rs 10 lakh. When he refused to pay, police allegedly forced his wife and family out of the room. They took him to the police station where 10 to 15 officers beat him severely. He died shortly after, the family claimed.
However, police have denied the allegations. Police officials claimed that a team raided the village based on an informer’s tip-off. When they did not find Wahid, they left. Three hours later, they received news of his death.
Sources in the police said it is suspected that Wahid hid in a bed-box with poor ventilation and later died from lack of oxygen.
Reacting to the allegations, Wahid’s brother Yakub Khan and son Sherdil Khan said, “If he died from suffocation, why are there injury marks on his eyes, nose, and ribs?”
The family members have named two officers and three policemen and have demanded action against them.
ASP Hemlata Kuril, SDOP Sitamau Dinesh Prajapati and officers from three stations tried talking to protesters, but the family stood firm.
Later, district Congress leaders reached the spot and told senior leaders about the incident. Following a call by state Congress president Jitu Patwari to senior police officials, the body was taken to Mandsaur for a post-mortem examination at noon.
As per reports, Wahid had 19 criminal cases registered against him in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Mumbai and Ratlam police had recently conducted raids to find him, but he had managed to flee.
