PWD employee dies in police custody, wife accuses police of mistreatment

Family members and locals created a ruckus outside Aishbagh police station after a 55-year-old PWD employee died in police custody.

The police had summoned him to Aishbagh police station on the complaint of his daughter-in-law. He reached the police station on Wednesday evening with his wife and son, where his health deteriorated. His family claimed that he was in great fear due to the misbehaviour of the sub-inspector.

The wife of deceased Rubina said that her husband was distressed and not feeling well. She also told this to the sub-inspector. The sub-inspector did not allow him to go to the hospital. Her husband's hands and legs became stiff. Following this, the SI said that he is trying to deceive him. I will lock him in the dungeon and beat him with sticks. After that, he became unconscious. He was taken to Hamidia Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

DCP Zone-1 Priyanka Shukla has said that the incident will be subject to a judicial inquiry. She said that Mohammad Akram (55), a resident of Bagh Farhat Afza, was a grade four clerk in the PWD. He worked in an office in Bharat Talkies. On Wednesday evening at 7 pm, his 19-year-old daughter-in-law came to Aishbagh police station to report a case of dowry harassment.

When the news of Mohammad Akram's death in police custody came, relatives and friends gathered outside his house. There was talk of visiting the police station. However, after persuading the officials, no demonstrations took place outside the police station. As a precautionary measure, a police force from three police stations was stationed outside the police station.

According to police, a dispute broke out between the deceased Akram's family and the daughter-in-law's family at the police station itself.

In the meantime, his health deteriorated. The family immediately took him to Hamidia Hospital. The police have denied the incident of an attack at the police station. On checking the footage of the CCTV cameras installed at the police station, it was also found that Akram and his family were neither beaten nor abused.

Rubina, the wife of the deceased, said that the daughter-in-law has started staying at her mother's house frequently. She does not return even when persuaded. Currently, she is staying at her mother's house voluntarily. We do not know when she complained to the police station. On Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm, SI Anil Srivastava of Aishbagh police station came home with the daughter-in-law's brother.

He asked the entire family to go to the police station immediately. We said that we would reach the police station shortly. He threatened that if we did not reach the police station soon, he would beat us up. When we reached the police station soon, he started misbehaving with us. The SI said that unilateral action would be taken if the woman's side was strong.

He started putting pressure on them, saying that they were harassing their daughter-in-law and they would all go to jail. Meanwhile, the husband's health deteriorated. He said that he was nervous and he was allowed to sit outside. The SI then scolded him. Meanwhile, the husband's hands and legs became stiff.

According to Rubina, she cried and said to take her husband to the hospital, but the SI said he is just acting, I will put him in jail and beat him. After that, her husband lost consciousness. He was taken to the hospital. Doctors declared him dead. Strict action should be taken against the SI.