Bengal Man, Out to Buy Milk & Allegedly Thrashed By Cops, Dies

The police have denied the claims.

A security person, checks identity card of a man in front of the closed Sealdah Railway Station during lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Kolkata. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

A 32-year-old man, a resident of West Bengal's Howrah district, passed away on Wednesday, 25 March, after he was allegedly thrashed by the police while out to buy milk during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

The incident happened in Sankrail town's Banipur locality and the man has been identified as Lal Swami.

Swami's wife claims that when he was stepping out to buy milk on Wednesday evening, the police saw a bunch of people gathered in the locality and lathi-charged them.

Hit during the lathi-charge, Swami's health deteriorated in the next few hours, says his wife.

He was then taken to a local hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival by the doctors.

Following the incident, there was tension in the area and the Rapid Action Force, as well as local police, had to be deployed.

The Commissioner of Police, Howrah, has denied the lathi-charge to local reporters. He's also said that the man was suffering from a heart ailment and his death was related to the same.

Lal Swami's family is yet to file a written complaint with the police.