The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Dalit youth dies in judicial custody in Firozabad, protesters clash with police
PROTESTERS CLASHED with police in Firozabad on Friday evening over the death of a 27year-old Dalit youth during treatment in the district jail where he was lodged in connection with a motorcycle theft case. The victim, Akash Kumar, was sent to judicial custody on June 19.
The pro testers alleged that the death occurred due to severe beatings by the police before Akash was sent to jail. They blocked the road and pelted stones at the police. They also set ablaze a motorcycle parked on the roadside.
The situation was brought under control when the police used “mild force” to disperse the crowd. Inspector General of Police (Agra Range) Deepak Kumar said that a panel of doctors conducted the post-mortem on the body before it was handed over to his family.
According to the police, aka sh was arrested Wednesday for his alleged involvement in a motorcycle theft case. He was produced before the court which sent him to judicial custody. on wednesday night, aka sh complained of health issues in the jail, and was given treatment by the jail doctor, they said. On Friday, when his condition deteriorated, the jail doctor admitted him to the jail hospital, where he died during treatment.
When the news of the death spread, a group from an organisation working for the Dalit community staged a protest and took out a bike rally. When the body was brought to the victim's house in Suhat Nagar Friday evening, a group confronted the police team accompanying the dead body.
Police said they were trying to collect information about those involved in the arson. They are scrutinising the footage to identify the accused, officials said.