42 cops transferred over death
Suspect dies in their custody at Mansarovar
In an unusual step, 42 policemen of Mansarovar police station have been transferred to the Reserve Police Lines after the death of a person in police custody.
Yogesh Sapra, a suspect in a theft case, died while in custody on Tuesday night.
According to police, 55-year-old Sapra complained of chest pain. He was being interrogated by police when he complained of uneasiness. Then he was immediately taken to hospital, police said. The doctors said he was brought dead.
Following the incident, Police Commissioner B L Soni has also suspended Mansarovar station house officer Dharamveer Singh and sub-inspector Jagdish Prasad, who were the investigating officers of the theft case.
Though police claimed that Sapra died of cardiac arrest as he was a heart patient, people are not ready to believe the police’s theory. The incident has drawn widespread protest in Mansarovar, where traders observed a day-long bandh on Friday.
“At least 42 policemen have been transferred to the Reserve Police Lines, while 41 others have been shifted to Mansarovar Police station from Reserve Police Lines. More policemen from other stations have been called in to fill in the vacancy at Mansarovar,” said DCP (south Mansarovar) Vijendra Jhala.
Several local businessmen also gathered near the police station and protested against Sapra’s death. The traders said they will keep their businesses closed as a mark of protest.
They said Yogesh Sapra died under mysterious circumstances. They demanded a probe as well. Senior police officials said they are investigating to find out whether he died of cardiac arrest or if there was a foul play.
“The SHO and SI of Mansarovar police station have been suspended,” said Jhala.
Constable beats labourer to death, held.
A Punjab Police constable has been arrested for allegedly beating to death a migrant labourer from Bihar, police said on Friday.
Manjeet Singh, a constable in Punjab Armed Police, and his cousin were taking drugs on January 26 in an under-construction building in Jalandhar, where labourer Roshanlal used to stay with family. When Roshanlal raised an objection, the duo beat him up and hit him with a stone on his head, ACP Jasbir Singh Rai said.
The labourer, who was seriously injured, was taken to a hospital where he succumbed. Manjeet’s cousin, who is a lawyer by profession, is still at large, the ACP said.
