Mumbai: A day after 25-year-old marketing representative Vijay Singh died on the premises of Wadala T.T. police station, five policemen, including two officers, were suspended on Tuesday. Moreover, the Mumbai crime branch will takeover the investigation.
The suspended policemen were identified as sub inspector Sandeep Kadam, assistant inspector Salim Khan and three other constables.
The action comes hours after Singh was brought to the Wadala T.T. police station, at around midnight, after a petrol pump’s staff informed the police of a squabble involving him and two other customers.
The police also registered a case against the couple who picked fight with Singh and identified them as Devendra and Afreen, who were on a two wheeler and confronted Singh for flashing his bike's headlight at them.
“An impartial probe into the death in police custody has been initiated and the crime branch will be investigating the incident,” said Saurabh Tripathi, deputy commissioner of police.
A friend, who had accompanied Singh to the police station, alleged that the policemen mocked him when the marketing representative expressed uneasiness and chest pain. They did not provide him with water when he asked for it, the friend alleged.
The circumstances leading to Singh’s death will be investigated and the statement of all policemen and Singh’s friend will be recorded.
A second autopsy was conducted at KEM Hospital, as per the demand of the deceased’s family. The family eventually conducted the final rites on Tuesday night.
“An accidental death report has been registered at the moment,” the police said.
Further action will be initiated based on the findings of the report after the crime branch’s investigation, it added.
Meanwhile, violence erupted on the streets as an angry mob pelted stones on vehicles. The police had to lathi-charge the mob after they failed to disperse.
