59-year-old ‘beaten’ to death for standing up against teasing

Salim’s son,Shahnawaz,said,“He was coming towards the house when he saw someone teasing a girl. After he protested,a heated argument broke out and a minor scuffle took place. The man ran away but returned with two or three more men and beat up my father,” he said.

Shahnawaz said his father fell unconscious and a neighbour informed the family. “We took him to hospital; he was dead by then,” he said.

Imran,Salim’s other son,alleged,“It is not the first time that this person has been involved in criminal activities in the Daryaganj. Others have also registered complaints against him in our own locality. The police don’t take action as his father is a police informer.”

“We did not register a case as we wanted to avoid the postmortem,” said Imran.

Family members said after the incident the accused has fled his home.

Salim ran a printing press in Kotwali area with his three sons — Shahnawaz ,Farhan and Imran. He was to go to London within a fortnight to meet someone.

Police,meanwhile,denied that the victim was beaten up.

Central Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Jaspal Singh said,“We haven’t received any complaint from the family.”

Though Salim got caught in an argument with a group of people last night,he was not beaten up and might have died of illness,he said.