Murder case against 2 UP cops over Dalit labourer’s ‘custodial’ death

A 44-year-old Dalit labourer died after police in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia allegedly picked him up to locate his son, with his family alleging he was harassed and assaulted. A murder case has now been registered against two policemen, a village head and three others. The policemen have been suspended, even as police deny custodial assault.

The case has sparked protests by the victim’s family, who alleged that police assaulted Kamji Gond to force him to reveal the whereabouts of his son, Vishal Gond, 22, an accused in an assault case. They claimed he was later dumped unconscious in a field before those involved fled the scene. He died after being taken to hospital.

Police rejected the allegations, maintaining that Kamji developed breathing difficulties during questioning and was released into the care of a local resident. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Acting on a complaint filed by Vishal, Ballia Police said they registered a murder case against six people, including Sub-Inspector Sachin Saroj, Constable Ankit Singh, village head Ashutosh Shankar Singh and three local residents, at Revati police station. No arrests have been made so far. Two of the accused are members of the Dalit community.

Superintendent of Police Ballia, Omvir Singh, said the sub-inspector and constable who were involved in the questioning have been suspended, while the Station House Officer of Revati police station, Raj Kishore Singh, has been removed from his post pending further inquiry.

Singh said a magisterial inquiry had also been ordered to examine the circumstances surrounding the labourer’s death.

‘Father was asleep, cops picked him up’

Speaking to The Indian Express, Vishal said the sequence of events began on July 7, when he got into an argument with a local shopkeeper, Suraj Kannaujia, after visiting his shop near Khedan Chauraha in Gaighat village to buy chicken. The altercation allegedly escalated into a physical fight before local residents intervened.

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Vishal alleged that following the incident, Suraj, acting under pressure from village head Singh and other local residents, filed an assault complaint against him.

He claimed that at 1.20 pm on July 8, two police personnel arrived at his family’s home looking for him. Finding him absent, they allegedly took away his father who was asleep at the time.

The son claimed his father was taken to a nearby brick kiln, where he was severely beaten in an attempt to force him to disclose Vishal’s whereabouts and make him surrender before the police. He alleged that the assault was carried out under pressure from the village head.

After his father lost consciousness, Vishal alleged the police personnel abandoned him in a garden near the brick kiln and fled.

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Later that day, around 6 pm, he said local residents found Kamji lying unconscious and informed them. The family rushed him to a nearby hospital. Doctors referred him to a hospital in Varanasi, where he later died.

‘Handed over to neighbour’: Police

Police have denied the allegations of assault and abandonment.

According to the police, Kamji developed breathing difficulties during questioning. Officers claimed he was released around 4 pm on July 8 and handed over to a neighbour, who then took him away.

Police said the post-mortem examination could not determine the exact cause of Kamji’s death. Doctors preserved viscera samples for forensic analysis, and the results are awaited.

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Police said Vishal is an accused in the assault case and has previously been booked in several criminal cases, including murder.

Following Kamji’s death, his family and local residents staged a protest, demanding criminal action against the police personnel and the village head named in the complaint. They initially refused to perform the last rites, and proceeded with the funeral only after police registered the murder case.