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For the alleged custodial death of a teenager hailing from a Scheduled Tribe (ST), three policemen including an outpost office-in-charge, were suspended in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on January 23, 2022, reported The Quint. The suspension and murder complaint came after people from the boy’s village protested and alleged brutal torture by the police.
उत्तर प्रदेश के जिला लखीमपुर विधानसभा क्षेत्र पलिया गांव खजुरिया में एक दलित युवक को चोरी के सक में पुलिस ने बेरहमी से मार मार कर मौत के घाट उतार दिया अधिकारियों पर कार्यवाही नहीं हुई तो जल्द भीम आर्मी पहुंचेगी@lakhimpurpolice @Igrangelucknow @adgzonelucknow @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/eBbjXOaaUY
— SAURABH BHARTIYA CHIEF GENERAL SECRETARY PILIBHIT (@Saurabh89064415) January 23, 2022
17-year-old Rahul’s uncle accused the youth of stealing his son’s phone on January 17. He filed a complaint at the Sampoornanagar police station, following which the boy was called in for questioning two days later.
As per the official statement by Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Suman, “On January 19, both the uncle and the boy were called along with the family, his mother, the village chief and three to four other witnesses. The questioning happened in front of these people. After that the two parties came to an understanding. Later, his mother and five to six other people said that on January 20, the uncle and another person attacked the boy. The same night he was taken to the hospital. After he died, family accused the police of custodial death.”
Suman said that the police registered the complaint and are investigating the matter. He further said that guilty officers will face strict action.
थाना सम्पूर्णानगर क्षेत्रान्तर्गत 17 वर्षीय बालक की मृत्यु की घटना के संबंध में पुलिस अधीक्षक खीरी, श्री संजीव सुमन की बाइट pic.twitter.com/oVXsWsqkEZ
— KHERI POLICE (@kheripolice) January 23, 2022
While the police reported two conflicting accounts from the family, videos of protesters and aggrieved family members showed the people condemning the police. According to local newspaper Lok Jansandesh, the family laid the body at a village crossroad and video recorded the physical injuries on the body’s back.
Videos of the boy’s two sisters recalling how he was forcibly taken away from his house on January 19 are also circulating on social media. They alleged that the witnesses were called after the physical assault.
Reacting to the news, Samajwadi Party (SP) tweeted in Hindi and condemned the ruling regime for the growing police oppression in the state. “Hear the plea of the crying relatives and give them justice, CM. People will answer by vote,” said the tweet.
भाजपा सरकार में कस्टोडियल डेथ में नंबर वन यूपी में एक और पुलिस किलिंग!
“मेरे भाई को इतना मारा की उसकी जान चली गई”
लखीमपुर खीरी में पुलिस की पिटाई से 17 वर्षीय युवक की मृत्यु अत्यंत दु:खद!
रोते बिलखते परिजनों की फरियाद सुन उन्हें न्याय दें सीएम।
जनता वोट से देगी जवाब। pic.twitter.com/F2rK3CaD7g
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) January 23, 2022
According to the Indian Express, Rahul was an agricultural labourer. To look into the matter of his alleged murder, a contingent of senior police officials met the protesters to placate their anger. However, the police also charged the boy’s uncle and his accomplice for death by negligence. The two men are yet to be arrested.
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