Morcha over Padgha custodial death

Addressing the mrocha, which tunred into a spontaneous meeting near the tehsildar8217;s office, sanghatana President Vivek Pandit said, 8220;Maharashtra is second only to Bihar when it cames to custodial deaths. It is a matter of shame that a progressive state like ours has such a poor human rights record.8221; He said the sanghatana would intensify its agiaition if an FIR is not registered against the policemen responsible for Patil8217;s death.

Among the gathering was Vithabai 25, widow of the deceased who told Express Newsline, 8220;The police have offered me Rs 3 lakh to stop pursuing the case but will have none of that. I want justice and the full story of how my husband was killed in cold blood to come out.8221;

Patil had been thrashed before his body was found hanging in the lock-toilet up of the Padgha police station on September 16. When police refused to lodge an FIR against its own personnel, Vithabai approached the Bhiwandi Sessions Court which ordered the Thane rural police to register an FIR under Section 30 custodial death of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. It is the first case in the state to be tried under the act.