Youths allege beaten up in custody; 2 police personnel suspended

As per details of the case, ASI Rahul Rathva and home guard Sandeep Patel were on patrolling duty on June 12 at Kosamba Road. The personnel, who were on a bike, found a group of six youths sitting in a circle.  When the police personnel told them to go home, a heated argument followed.  The youth allegedly thrashed the personnel, and broke their mobile phones. Dadiyafalia outpost police constable Viraj Bhandari and home guard Bhavesh Kukna, who were passing by the area, tried to intervene but they too were thrashed. One of the cops escaped from the spot and informed the Valsad town police station.

Later, a team of cops reached the spot and took Rathva and Sandeep Patel to Valsad Civil Hospital for treatment where they were admitted. However, Rathva left the hospital and allegedly thrashed three youths in the lock-up.Rahul Rathwa later lodged a complaint against six youths identified as Pintesh Patel, Vraj Patel, Dipesh Patel, Chirag Patel, Dhruv Patel, and Jonny Patel. Geetaben Patel, the mother of Chirag Patel, lodged a complaint with the Valsad district court stating her son and two others — Dipesh and Dhruv Patel — were beaten up by Rahul Rathva in police custody.

In her complaint, she alleged on the night of June 13, ASI Rahul Rathva who was admitted to the Civil Hospital came to Valsad town police station and took the keys to the lock-up from  PSO Jayshreeben and took all the three accused to the neighbouring room and beat them severely.

Rahul Rathva later reached the hospital and slept on his bed, she alleged. On June 14, the youth were produced before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate K R Rathod court where they made the accusations against the ASI. The court granted bail to the youth. On the basis of the application of Geetaben Patel, Judge K R Rathva had passed an order stating that Valsad town police should collect CCTV footage of Valsad town police station and Valsad Civil hospital.

Valsad SP Rajdeepsinh Jala said, “Rahul Rathva had without taking permission left the hospital. He had demanded keys of lock up where all three were kept, from PSO Jayshree ben. Rathva is not investigating officer in the case so he has no right to question or interrogate trio. Jayshreeben is responsible for the entire police station in absence of inspector and she should not have given keys.”__