Man dies after complaining chest pain in police lockup in Udhampur; inquiry ordered

Udhampur/Jammu, Jul 30 (PTI) A 35-year-old man was declared dead at a hospital shortly after complaining of chest pain inside a police lockup in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district early Sunday, officials said.

The relatives of the victim Daleep Singh, a resident of Rathian village, blocked the main Dhar road for over three hours, demanding an impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to his death.

Singh was overpowered by security guards posted at Udhampur district hospital after he along with two others created a scene and allegedly assaulted an admitted patient Sharda Devi who was purportedly having a dispute with her husband, the officials said.

They said while the husband of the patient and another person fled the hospital, Singh was caught and handed over to police personnel who shifted him to the women police station shortly after midnight.

Singh complained of chest pain inside the lockup over two hours later and was immediately shifted to hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors, the officials said, adding that the news of his death triggered protests by his relatives who blocked the main road outside the hospital.

A senior police officer said a magisterial inquiry headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur Joginder Singh Jasrotia was underway to ascertain the facts.

“Singh was taken into preventive custody and later complained of chest pain before being declared dead on arrival at the hospital. He was not subjected to torture inside the lockup,” the officer said.

He said a post-mortem of the deceased would be conducted to ascertain the cause of his death.

Jasrotia, who visited the protesters and persuaded them to disperse, said the high-level magisterial inquiry has already been ordered and strict action would be taken in case anyone was found guilty of negligence.

He requested people knowing about the incident to share their information or material evidence with him so that the inquiry is taken to its logical conclusion.