A case of suspected custodial death of a 31-year-old man has been reported from Nanjangud rural police station limits in Mysuru.
The deceased, Siddaraju, was reportedly handed over to the police by residents of Byalaru village on November 27 evening for allegedly harassing women in a drunken state. Police claim to have received a call on the emergency number 112. By the time their personnel reached the village, some locals had reportedly assaulted Siddaraju.
“He was taken to a hospital, but doctors refused to take him in saying he was drunk. So, he was taken to the police station,” said Praveen Madhukar Pawar, Inspector General of Police (Southern range).
On November 28 morning, an FIR was lodged against him under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), based on a complaint by a woman from the village for allegedly outraging her modesty.
Around Sunday afternoon, Siddaraju fell ill and was taken to the hospital where doctors said he was dead.
“But, there was no wrong-doing on the part of the police,” said Mr Pawar.
The mother of the deceased lodged a complaint with the police. The judicial magistrate is carrying out the inquest after which the case is expected to be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
