SHO, others booked for murder over trader’s custodial death in Lucknow

Pandey’s family has alleged that the police brutally beat him up at the behest of Adesh, a driver, and his uncle, a local political leader. Pandey, who manufactured and supplied school uniforms, is survived by his mother, wife and three children.

The FIR was registered against Ashwani Kumar Chaturvedi, Adesh Kumar, his uncle (not named) besides unidentified police personnel on the complaint of Pandey’s mother Tageshwari Devi. No arrests have been made yet and the investigation was going on, the police said.

After Pandey’s death, locals staged a protest, demanding action against the police and others allegedly involved.

According to the police, the complainant alleged that on Friday evening the police took her son to the Chinhat police station after he had a minor dispute with Adesh. Later, when Pandey’s elder brother Shobha Ram went to the station to enquire about him, he was also detained allegedly on charges of being intoxicated.

Devi claimed that no action was then taken against Adesh due to the influence of his uncle. The two brothers were kept in separate rooms, it was alleged. The police brutally assaulted Pandey, resulting in his death, she alleged, adding that they took him to hospital to cover up torture in custody.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP Lucknow) Pankaj Kumar Singh said after Pandey’s condition worsened at the Chinhat police station he was taken to a community health centre, which referred him to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where he was declared dead. The family was subsequently informed of his death, he said.

Following the incident, a large crowd gathered in Gomti Nagar, with Pandey’s family demanding action against the police personnel responsible for his death. The protesters also demanded compensation and a government job for one of his family members.

They briefly blocked the road, causing traffic disruption, before senior police officials assured them that their demands would be raised with the authorities concerned.

They also alleged that police officials did not allow them to see the body before sending it for post-mortem examination, and that the victim was denied water in the lock-up despite his requests.

Meanwhile, a video also surfaced on social media showing Shobha Ram trying to “revive” his brother in the lock-up. Assistant Commissioner of Police Radha Raman Singh said the investigation is on and that action will be taken on the basis of their probe findings.

Slamming the government over the death, Samajwadi Party president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X that this was the second instance of a “death in police custody” in the state capital in just 16 days.

“A government known for its frequent renaming should consider renaming “police custody” as the “house of torture”. Every demand of the victim’s family must be fulfilled—we stand in full support of them,” he wrote.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to X over the issue, saying”In Lucknow, UP, police detained two youths, one of whom died the following morning. This marks the second death in UP police custody within two weeks, with the family alleging that their son was murdered by the police. Uttar Pradesh leads the country in custodial deaths, with the BJP establishing such a jungle raj that police have become synonymous with brutality. When those meant to uphold the law are taking lives, from whom can the public seek justice?”