Three Gujarat policemen booked for allegedly torturing man to death in illegal custody

Three policemen in Kutch district have been booked for allegedly torturing a man to death in illegal custody. The accused cops had brought the man to the police station on suspicion of theft who was allegedly tortured for a confession which resulted in his death. Police said that prima facie it has been found that the victim was in illegal custody and after his death, all the accused policemen are on the run.

The FIR filed on Wednesday stated that policemen Shaktisinh Gohil, Ashok Kannad and Jaidevsinh Jhala, all constables posted at Mundra police station, have been booked for murdering Arjan Gadhvi, a resident of Samaghogha in Mundra, in illegal custody.

The FIR says that the accused cops brought Gadhvi to the police station without following any procedure and tortured him mercilessly. The FIR was filed on the basis of a complaint moved by his cousin Devraj Gadhvi who happens to be an advocate. It is mentioned in the FIR that on January 13, the accused policemen had asked Arjan to come to the police station.

The complainant has said that on 16th January, he and other relatives went to the police station to inquire about Arjan. He has said he saw Arjan sitting alone with accused policeman Shaktisinh Gohil who allegedly asked the complainant to check with Arjan if he is involved in a theft case. The FIR states that the complainant even asked Arjan if he was really involved but he denied. He also informed that the cops had beaten him up and he was unable to walk.

"Prime facie, it seems that the victim died in illegal police custody. We have registered the FIR based on the complaint lodged by the relatives. The three accused constables are not traceable and are absconding. We have booked them accordingly," said Kutch (west) Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh.

Gujarat is among the few states which has the highest number of custodial deaths. Earlier last year, a Telangana resident Babu Shaikh, 65, was reported to have been murdered by six policemen in Vadodara. The accused cops tortured him to get a confession in a theft case. His dead body is yet to be traced by the police.