Vijayanagara: Two police personnel attached to the Hagaribommanahalli Police Station in Karnataka’s Vijayanagara district were arrested on Monday in connection with the alleged custodial death of a 35-year-old construction labourer, Khaleel. The incident has triggered public outrage, with authorities likely to hand over the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Two police personnel arrested
The arrested officers have been identified as Head Constable Ittagi Raghavendra and Police Constable Venkatesh. They were taken into custody after an FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Khaleel’s wife, Shainaz, who alleged that her husband died after being assaulted inside the police station.
According to police, Khaleel, a resident of Harapanahalli working as a construction labourer in Hagaribommanahalli, was brought to the police station late Sunday night following a domestic dispute. His wife had reportedly approached the police after the couple argued on a public road.
Family alleges custodial assault
Khaleel’s family has alleged that he was brutally beaten with lathis and rods while in police custody. They claimed police initially tried to portray his death as the result of an epileptic seizure.
Relatives said blood was seen oozing from his head, nose and ears, while multiple injury marks on his body raised serious suspicion of custodial torture.
Following Shainaz’s complaint, Vijayanagara Superintendent of Police S. Jahnavi registered an FIR against the two policemen. Both officers are currently being interrogated.
CID probe likely as protests erupt
SP Jahnavi said an inquest was conducted in the presence of a magistrate and the post-mortem examination has been completed. She added that the case is expected to be transferred to the CID, with formal orders awaited from senior authorities.
Senior police officials, including Ballari Range Inspector General of Police Dr Harsha, inspected the police station, while SP Jahnavi and DySP Mallesh Dodmani supervised the investigation and monitored the law and order situation.
The incident sparked widespread protests outside the Hagaribommanahalli Police Station and the hospital where Khaleel’s body was kept. Protesters demanded strict action against those responsible.
A relative of the deceased, Noushad Ali, alleged that Khaleel was beaten to death over a family dispute, while local JD(S) MLA Nemiraj Naik met the grieving family and called for a fair investigation and stringent action against the accused officers.
The alleged custodial death has once again raised concerns over police excesses and the treatment of people in custody. The investigation is expected to gather pace once the case is formally handed over to the CID.