Three police personnel in Bihar have been suspended following serious allegations of custodial torture against a jewellery shop employee accused of theft. The action was taken after the victim alleged he was brutally assaulted in custody and petrol was poured on his private parts to force a confession.
The man and two colleagues were detained in December in connection with the alleged theft of 60 grams of gold from a jewellery store in Samastipur. However, he was later released due to lack of evidence linking him to the crime. After spending four days in police custody, his health deteriorated significantly, and he is currently in critical condition.
According to the victim, he was repeatedly beaten while in custody and subjected to inhuman treatment. He was released on bond on January 5 as his condition worsened. The victim has also accused police personnel of demanding a bribe in exchange for his release.
The victim’s mother claimed that her son was falsely implicated. She further alleged that she and her husband were detained at the Tajpur police station for three days, during which the police demanded Rs 50,000 for their release.
Police also conducted a search of the family’s residence but reportedly found no stolen jewellery. Despite this, the victim alleged that he continued to face physical abuse and pressure to confess.
Taking cognisance of the allegations, Superintendent of Police Arvind Pratap Singh suspended three officials, including station in-charge Shankar Sharan Das, along with Rajvansh Kumar and Rahul Kumar. An inquiry into the matter is underway.
