Five police personnel have been suspended and arrested in Tripura after the death of a 34-year-old tribal man, identified as Badal Tripura, who allegedly died due to custodial torture. Badal, from Sabroom in the South Tripura district, was detained on Monday and released the next day. After feeling bad, he was admitted to a hospital but died shortly after discharge. His family has claimed he died due to torture in custody.
Ashok Sinha, SP, South Tripura, said that Sub-Inspector Premjit Ray and Constable Rajkumar Tripura of Manubazar police station were arrested along with three others on a complaint filed by Badal’s family. All five policemen, including Ray and Rajkumar, have been placed under suspension, and a departmental proceeding has been initiated against them. A probe into the allegations is being conducted, and the CCTV footage is being scanned.
Badal, along with another tribal man, Chiranjit Tripura, was first detained for theft of rubber sheets on Sunday without any case being slapped against them, and then arrested on Monday for creating a public nuisance in an inebriated state – the same morning Badal was released within hours.
Upon release, Badal complained of illness and was first taken to the local hospital. Authorities then transferred him to Shanti Bazar Hospital. He died later that night at his home. His body had multiple injuries, especially on his eyes, though it is uncertain when these injuries were taken.
The victim’s family filed a police complaint on Wednesday, accusing the cops of torture. The incident sparked widespread protests, with villagers- including women-protesting in front of the Manubazar police station. Protesters blocked the Agartala-Sabroom National Highway to traffic and sought compensation for Badal’s family and punitive action against the officers involved in the case.
A magisterial inquiry was ordered into the cause of the death, and a post-mortem examination was conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate. Additional security has been deployed in the area in the wake of the unrest, and senior police officials visited the region where the incident took place.
This was the third reported custodial death within three months after similar incidents at RK Pur and Nutan Bazar police stations.
