UP ranks first in custodial deaths, all cases warrant probe: Cong leader

Noida, Mar 29 (PTI) Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Pankhuri Pathak on Friday called for a judicial probe into every death in police custody, saying the state government and the police administration “becoming so uncontrolled” is “extremely worrying and dangerous”. Pathak, the chairperson of the Congress’s social media wing, also claimed that Uttar Pradesh occupies the top spot in the country in terms of custodial killings. Her remarks came after jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s death at a hospital in Banda district of the state on Thursday. Ansari (63) was lodged in the Banda jail and died of a cardiac arrest. The family of the five-time MLA has alleged that Ansari was subjected to slow poisoning in the jail, a charge denied by the prison authorities.

“There are reports of deaths in police custody/custodial killings every day in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh ranks first in the country in terms of custodial killing. No part or section of the state has remained untouched by this. Among those who died were Dalits, Muslims, tradesmen, Brahmins, backward class and people of every caste. There should be a judicial inquiry into every death that occurs in police custody,” Pathak said in a post in Hindi on Facebook. “The government and police administration becoming so uncontrolled is extremely worrying and dangerous for the general public and the rule of law,” the Congress leader said and attached several news reports of custodial deaths in Uttar Pradesh to her post.

Earlier in the day, Ansari’s son Umar told reporters that the family will demand a high-level inquiry and “do whatever we have to do through court”.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, both former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers, have also called for a probe into Ansari’s death, while Bhim Army founder and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) president Chandra Shekhar Aazad has demanded a CBI investigation.