BENGALURU: He was starved, beaten and now Jeevan Bhima Nagar police sources have indicated that the policemen interrogating Mahender Rathod, 42, the domestic help who died in their custody could have choked to death when he was given water to drink!
In a claim that is being looked at as extremely dubious, forensic doctors told Deccan Chronicle that a man choking to death while drinking water “because he was breathless” happens only in the rarest of rare cases. Rathod, 42, died in the custody of J B Nagar police on Saturday evening after he spent less than eight hours in the lock-up.
Police sources told Deccan Chronicle that based on the complaint filed by Purohit, a business executive and resident of New Thippasandra that he had allegedly stolen Rs 3.5 lakhs, Rathod was picked up and brought to the station at 11.30 am.
“When he was brought to the station, he was already looking very depressed and down. As the police staff started grilling him for the theft, he initially denied it but later confessed to the crime. It was only after his death that a head constable and three constables, who had been interrogating him admitted while they were being questioned, that they had not given him lunch and were not sure whether he had breakfast on that day,” a senior official told Deccan Chronicle.
Weak and nervous, he buckled, especially after he was beaten with a stick, repeatedly, on his legs.
“In a bid to wring the truth out and get him to confess, they hit him with a stick through the afternoon. They have denied they have subjected him to any third degree treatment," the official said.
“Hours later, while the policemen were asking him where he had hit the booty, he suffered from breathlessness and asked for water. Without thinking much, the police gave him water and he gulped it down. Within a few minutes, he developed complications and collapsed," the policeman said. The police rushed him to Chinmaya hospital - not Manipal, which was much closer - where he was declared brought dead. "The post mortem report will reveal the exact reason," the official said.
Among the six suspended cops, Head Constable Ajaz Ahmed and constable Mohan Ram were suspended earlier in another case and were reinstated just around a month ago. While, Sub Inspector Rajashekhar, who is also suspended, was due for retirement in 4-5 months. The Head Constable and three constables were suspended as they were interrogating the accused, while the inspector and SI were suspended as they are supervising officers, though they were not present in the station when the incident took place.
