A 26-year-old man from Sabroom in Tripura’s South district has died, allegedly as a result of police torture while in custody.
The man, identified as Badal Tripura, was arrested on 13 October on suspicion of theft and died at his residence on 16 October.
According to Nityananda Sarkar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sabroom, five police officers from Manubazar Police Station have been detained following accusations of torture from the victim’s family.
The incident has sparked widespread unrest in the area, with locals staging a protest outside the Manubazar Police Station on Thursday, demanding strict action against the personnel involved.
Demonstrators also blocked the Agartala-Sabroom national highway near Manubazar in protest of the alleged custodial torture.
Badal Tripura, a resident of Kaladepa, was reportedly captured by locals for stealing rubber sheets from a warehouse before being handed over to the police, having been beaten by the mob.
The police released him on 14 October after finding him intoxicated. Two days later, he was found dead at home.
“The victim’s family has lodged a complaint, alleging that Badal died due to torture by two policemen and three special police officers,” SDPO Sarkar said.
A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate to determine the cause of death.
“Security at Manubazar Police Station has been tightened, and the situation is currently under control,” added Sarkar.
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