Maharashtra: Dalit man dies after taken into custody

A 22-year-old Dalit youth, who was taken into custody by police for interrogation, died in a hospital due to alleged torture by police. Taking cognisance of the matter, a sub-inspector and four constables of Kotwali police station where the alleged incident took place, have been suspended with immediate effect, Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde, said.

According to Kotwali police station Inspector Dnyaneshwar Dhokale, Nitin Balu Sathye was suspected to be involved in a number of petty crimes and was detained by Kotwali police on May 27 for interrogation. Sathye somehow managed to escape from the police station but was traced and nabbed again the next day and brought to Kotwali police station, the officer said. Later after sometime, he was admitted to city's Nobel hospital in a serious condition where he died yesterday morning, police added.

The suspended officers were named as, Sub-Inspector Vishwanath Nimase, Constables - Sanjay Dalimbkar, Hemant Khandagale, Sandip Shinde and Sadiq Shaikh. Meanwhile, local politicians and Dalit outfits alleged that Sathye was beaten up and tortured by policemen as a result of which he died.

District president of RPI (A) Ashok Gaikwad alleging that the Dalit youth died in police custody, demanded that the suspended cops be booked under IPC section 302 (murder).