3 cops accused in custodial death case sent to one-day remand

Ram Kumar (23),a resident of Ravi Das Majri,was found dead on the rail tracks near the Ambala Railway Station on Tuesday,while his friend Vikram (22) had gone missing after being handed to the police. The two had been taken in custody on Monday on charges of theft.

“They were handed over at the police post by some residents who had allegedly found them trying to break in a house. They were also found to be drunk. Though they were taken into custody,their detention was illegal,” said Commissioner of Police Ambala-Panchkula Rajbir Singh Deswal.

Vikram,who went missing after Tuesday,returned to his home on Wednesday morning. He will be produced before a Judicial Magistrate.

The DCP,Urban Ambala,has been asked to send an interim report to the Human Rights Commission in the matter,while the DGP,Haryana,on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Ambala Police,has give his approval for the case to be transferred to the State Crime Branch (Haryana) for further investigation.

Strict instructions have been issues for supervisory officers and SHOs to check illegal police custody in the entire Commissionerate. It has been made mandatory for checking officers to make daily diary entries in the police stations regarding any person found to be in illegal custody in any police unit.

A request has also been made to the District and Sessions Judge to appoint a Judicial Magistrate for an inquest in the death of Kumar.