Police officer in MP shifted over custodial death
Satna (Madhya Pradesh): Satna district Superintendent of Police Riaz Iqbal was transferred on Monday evening after a mob attack on a police station following an alleged custodial killing of a theft accused.
Family members of Rajpati Kushwaha, 45, alleged the drunk police inspector Vikram Pathak had shot him dead in the Singhpur police station in Narainpur village from point blank range.
Villagers gathered outside the police station and pelted stones. The police cane-charged the rampaging crowd and burst tear gas shells leaving several persons injured.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered the transfer of Satna superintendent of police Riyaz Iqbal over the custodial death and subsequent violence. Chouhan called the incident unfortunate and announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia assistance to the family of the deceased.
Police said Singhpur police had picked up Kushwaha on Sunday night from his house in Narayanpur about 50 kms from Satna on suspected involvement in a theft case.
He was reported to have been killed by bullet injuries, Omkar Kushwaha, nephew of the deceased, had alleged his uncle was killed by the police inspector
The police tried to give the killing of Kushwaha a suicide spin. “Singhpur police station inspector Vikram Pathak had kept his service revolver on the table (inside the police station). Kushwaha snatched the weapon and shot himself dead,” the SP told reporters on Monday.
He said Pathak and constable Manish have been suspended and a magisterial inquiry was ordered.