11 people were arrested and two police personnel suspended in connection with the death of a 24-year-old man in Jharkhand. It has now come to light that a "confession statement" of the victim recorded by the police made no reference to the assault to which he was subjected.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the victim, Tabrez Ansari, is quoted in the confessional statement as saying how he along with two others stole a motorcycle, but eventually got caught by the villagers after an alarm was raised at one of the houses.
There's also no reference to the assault in the FIR as well as in the complaint filed against Ansari initially for the purported motorcycle theft.
Meanwhile, speaking about the incident, Superintendent of Police Karthik S, Saraikela-Kharsawan, told The Indian Express:
“We have suspended two police personnel for the lapses. A DSP-rank officer is heading the SIT inquiring the matter and we will get all the facts. There is also a possibility that Tabrez did not say anything to the police on the beating during his confession.”
Meanwhile, Ansari's uncle Maqsood Alam has alleged that the police "deliberately left out" the fact that the 24-year-old was beaten.
After he was beaten, Tabrez was handed over to the Jharkhand Police and was sent to Saraikela jail.
However, three days after his arrest, the 24-year old was rushed to the Saraikela Sadar (district) Hospital after he complained of “uneasiness.”
On 22 June, a day after he was moved to the district hospital, Tabrez was referred to Tata Hospital in Jamshedpur when his health deteriorated further.
He was declared dead upon arrival at Tata Hospital.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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