Madhya Pradesh Tribal Youth Dies in Police Custody, 5 Police Officials Suspended

A 19-year-old tribal youth was arrested for allegedly planning a dacoity. He died shortly after that.

Huge crowds gathered outside the police station after the tribal youth's death. 

The Quint

Five police officials in Madhya Pradesh's Indore have been suspended after a tribal youth died in police custody on Friday evening, said Indore SP Rural Bhagat Singh Bindre in a press conference on Saturday, 3 September.

Indore's Manpur Police had arrested four men and charged them under the Arms Act for allegedly planning for dacoity. Nineteen-year-old Arjun Singare was among them.

Indore SP Rural Bhagat Singh Bindre said Arjun was charged under IPC Sections 384 (committing robbery), 399 (preparation to commit robbery), and 402 (assembly to commit robbery).

"We arrested him and brought him for interrogation. After that we were taking him for weapon recovery when he began feeling unwell," the SP told the media.

Arjun was taken to the Manpur hospital, where the doctors declared him dead. The SP said that an investigation into his sudden death was being conducted, along with a post-mortem examination.

The youth's family alleged that he died after he was beaten up in custody by the police. "I saw police officers thrash him when I went to visit Arjun at the police station," Arjun's mother later told the media.

As soon as the news of Arjun's death surfaced, his family as well as other villagers gathered around the Manpur police station.