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Journalism of Courage
Karnataka man detained overnight after quarrel with wife dies in custody
The Vijayanagar district police arrested two constables from the Hagaribommanahalli police station for allegedly torturing the man in custody.
Khaleelullah's wife Sahinaj alleged the police assaulted her husband at the Hagaribommanahalli station. (Representational image)
A 36-year-old construction worker taken to police custody in Karnataka’s Vijayanagar district following a quarrel with his wife died on Saturday night allegedly due to police torture.
Superintendent of Police S Jahnavi said two personnel—head constable Raghavendra, the station house officer in Hagaribommanahalli, and constable Venkatesh—were arrested on Sunday in connection with Khaleelullah’s custodial death.
The police made the arrests after Khaleelullah’s wife Sahinaj filed a complaint regarding his death.
Hagaribommanahalli MLA Nemiraj Naik, who visited Khaleelullah’s family, said it was the first custodial death case registered in the district.
“I spoke to the doctors. They also opined that Khaleelullah was brutally assaulted. Keeping the man at the police station overnight for a domestic dispute is wrong, and action must be initiated. There are CCTV cameras installed in the station and the footage must be preserved for further investigation,” he added.
Sahinaj alleged that the police assaulted and harassed her husband at the station. “The police had informed me that he had been let off,” she added.
Jahnavi said that doctors declared Khaleelluah dead on arrival when the police took him to a hospital after the alleged torture.
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At 3 am, locals gathered in front of the hospital and the police station, demanding justice and action against the personnel.
Three more custodial deaths
According to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, 806 custodial deaths were reported in the country from 2021-2022 until March 15 this year. In Karnataka, eight people died in police custody in 2021-22; five in 2022-23; seven in 2023-24; two in 2024-25; and three in 2025-26 (until March). Maharashtra reported the highest custody deaths between 2021 and March this year, with 101 cases.
In Karnataka, custodial death cases are usually transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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