Patel was a rich but ailing man who was unable to withstand the discomfort of police lock-up: Cops.
Hiren Patel, who was arrested on Saturday for firing with an unlicensed weapon, died on Monday when taken to Apollo Hospital in the custody of Naroda police. Patel's death could cause trouble for the Naroda police as it is being alleged that he died of injuries caused by police torture.
According to sources, Patel was allegedly taken to a deserted place near GIDC police chowky thrice and beaten up by the Naroda police.
When asked for the exact reason for the beating, the sources could not give a clear answer. They alleged that the police wanted to extort money from Patel who, though a rich man, was unwilling to give them any money. Patel was reported to be a big bookie of Nadiad and was among the rich people of the area.
Sources further said that when the police took Patel to Apollo Hospital, allegedly for the treatment of his injuries, a scuffle reportedly broken out between the police and Patel's relatives.
Sources in the police, however, dismissed these allegations as completely baseless. They said that Patel was a rich but ailing man who was unable to withstand the discomfort of police lock-up. "There is no reason why the police should have tortured or even pressurised Patel," a source in the police said. "He had already surrendered his unlicensed pistol."
The source further said that when Patel complained of fever, the police took him to the civil hospital where he was treated for his complaints. It was while returning from the civil hospital that Patel's condition began to deteriorate again. He was then taken to Apollo Hospital in a 108 ambulance, the source added.
Police inspector GH Gohil of Naroda police station could not be contacted for his comments.
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