The National Commission for Minorities has taken suo motu cognizance of the death of a man in police custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj district and sought a report within 15 days from the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary on the action taken. The Commission has also taken suo motu cognizance of the reported attack on a mosque, houses and shops of minority community members in Tripura and sought a report on it from the chief secretary of the state.
NCM chief Iqbal Singh Lalpura shared with reporters at a press interaction here the action taken by the Commission over the two incidents. In the custodial death case, Lalpura said the NCM has written to the DGP and the chief secretary of UP and sought a report on the action taken.
Family rejects police theory of suicide
The family members of a 22-year-old man, who died in police custody in this Uttar Pradesh district, has rejected the police theory of suicide and demanded justice and strict punishment for those responsible for his death. The family has said police are showing a letter purportedly signed by the victim’s father, which gives a clean chit to the men in khaki, and alleged that it was obtained under pressure.
Abrar Ahmad, the paternal uncle of Altaf who died in police custody in Kasganj on Tuesday, told reporters here that the letter that carries Altaf’s father’s thumb impression “has been managed through police pressure". Speaking to reporters at the Press Club here on Thursday night, Abrar said, “My brother is illiterate and his thumb impression on a piece of paper at a time when he was in a state of shock is meaningless." “My brother is a broken man and is hardly able to move and that is why I have come to Aligarh to speak on his behalf," he added.
The man called for questioning at Kasganj police station in a kidnapping case died in custody on Tuesday, with his family members alleging that he was killed by police personnel. However, the police claimed that Altaf, 22, had strangulated himself using a string from his jacket hood in the washroom of the police lock-up. Five policemen have been suspended for negligence following the incident.
The NCM has also take cognizance of a media report regarding attacks on a mosque, houses and shops of members of the minority community in Tripura. The letter sent on November 8 has sought details of the incident, the action taken and how many have been arrested or booked in connection with the incident by November 14 from the Tripura chief secretary.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)