Jailed in cheating case, Dalit man dies in Gujarat hospital after being assaulted in custody

Family members of the deceased Harshil Jadav alleged that he had been brutally assaulted in custody by a police sub-inspector Mukesh Makwana who was demanding Rs 5 lakh for not beating him.

Ahmedabad: A 43-year-old Dalit man, who was allegedly beaten up in police custody in Junagadh, died on Wednesday in a hospital in Ahmedabad.

The family members alleged Harshil Jadav had been brutally assaulted in custody by a police sub-inspector Mukesh Makwana who was demanding Rs 5 lakh as bribe for not beating him.

A day earlier, the police had registered an FIR against Makwana, who was investigating Harshil, a resident of Ahmedabad, in a cheating case related to a tour package.

Harshil's brother Brijesh told reporters that his brother had gone to Bodakdev police station in Ahmedabad to register a complaint on January 9, when he was informed that he was wanted in a FIR lodged in Junagadh.

On the same night, Harshil was picked up by Junagadh police. A court in Junagadh granted his police custody till January 12 during which the accused sub-inspector called up his family demanding Rs 5 lakh for not beating him.

Following negotiations, an amount of Rs 3 lakh was settled. Brijesh told reporters he refused to pay as he didn't have any money. Brijesh said that he had received calls from the accused cop from unknown numbers. Brijesh claimed that when he talked to his brother, the latter pleaded for money saying that he was being beaten up badly and would be killed.

On January 12, when Harshil was taken before the court after the end of custody, he complained of assault by Makwana. Harshil had bandages on his head and legs. He was sent to Junagadh civil hospital and was discharged. On January 15, he was released on bail.

After coming back to Ahmedabad, he was admitted to Ahmedabad civil hospital where he was diagnosed with ligament tears on both legs. His brother said that Harshil also had multiple injuries on his head.

The incident once again puts the spotlight on Gujarat police which have reported the highest number of custodial deaths in the country.

According to figures released by the National Human Rights Commission last year, Gujarat saw 80 custodial deaths in the past five years. The number of such deaths in 2017-18 was 14, 13 in 2018-19, 12 in 2019-20 while the numbers rose to 24 in 2021-22.