The accused of murdering the deputy sarpanch in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh died in jail. The trainee IPS was suspended in the case. The Deputy Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the relatives.
The Deputy Sarpanch was murdered in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh. The accused was arrested by the police. But the accused died mysteriously in police custody. At present, a judicial inquiry has been started into the incident. Along with this, police officials informed that after the incident, Additional Superintendent of Police of Kabirdham district Vikas Kumar (trainee IPS officer) has been suspended. The Deputy Chief Minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Prashant Sahu.
One of the 69 people involved in the murder died
When the condition of 27-year-old Prashant Sahu, who was lodged in jail, started deteriorating on Wednesday, he was taken from the district jail to the hospital. On reaching there, the doctors declared him dead. Sahu was among the 69 people who were arrested on Sunday for setting fire to the house of Deputy Sarpanch Raghunath Sahu in Loharidih village of Rengakhar police station area. Raghunath Sahu died in this incident.
Raghunath Sahu died on suspicion of murder
Initial police investigations revealed that Raghunath Sahu was attacked on suspicion that he had killed another villager, Kachru Sahu. Kachru Sahu’s body was found hanging from a tree in Bijatola village in Balaghat district of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. After the incident, the mob attacked Raghunath Sahu’s house and set it on fire. Three members of Raghunath Sahu’s family, including his wife, were rescued by the police in an injured condition and admitted to hospital.
Arson and attack on police
On receiving information about the arson, the police reached the village. The angry mob also attacked the police. Some policemen, including Kabirdham district Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallav, were injured. After the incident, the police detained 40 residents of Loharidih village. Prashant Sahu was arrested along with other villagers on Sunday and was taken to the hospital after complaining of some health complications.
Alcohol addiction, seizure and death
Police said that Sahu had a habit of drinking alcohol. He also had a problem of epilepsy. Sahu was again taken to the hospital on Tuesday for examination and was discharged after treatment, but his condition deteriorated the next day and he was declared dead on reaching the hospital. Police say that the exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report comes. A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
The report was normal but injury marks were seen in the post-mortem
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma told the media on Wednesday night that the death in jail is a matter of investigation. On Tuesday, the accused was taken to the hospital for examination, where his hand was X-rayed. According to the doctors, the report is normal. During the Panchnama on Wednesday, injury marks were found on the body of the deceased. Samples of his viscera have been sent for forensic examination and the report is awaited.
Beating happened on the orders of senior officer, ASP suspended
The Deputy Chief Minister said that prima facie the jail records revealed that injury marks were found on the bodies of some of the arrested persons. Also, the villagers have claimed that some of the arrested persons were beaten up on the instructions of senior officers. Action has been taken against the senior officers. ASP Vikas Kumar has been suspended on the instructions of the Chief Minister.
Family members will get compensation
The Chief Minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Prashant Sahu. Apart from this, his family members who have been arrested in the same murder case will also be allowed to attend his funeral.
The opposition targeted
Meanwhile, the main opposition party Congress has formed its own team to investigate the custodial death incident. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday night, Congress MLA and convener of the party’s investigation team Daleshwar Sahu hit out at the ruling BJP and said, “Injury marks have been seen on Prashant Sahu’s body. This clearly indicates that he was brutally beaten up by policemen. Prima facie, it seems that he died due to police torture.”
