Undertrial dies in custody, SP removed in Bihar

An undertrial, allegedly tortured in police custody, has died in a hospital sparking off protest and forcing the government today to suspend two policemen and remove Jamui Superintendent of Police Deepak Varnwal.

Munna Singh, 40, was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a garment merchant last month and was allegedly tortured in police custody. He was brought to the state capital and admitted to the PatnaMedicalCollege and Hospital on June 23 but died last night, the police said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a high-level meeting and announced compensation of Rs five lakh to the family of the deceased.

Kumar said two police officers -- Jamui police station in-charge Jitendra Kumar and Giddhaur police station in-charge Satyavrat Bharati -- had been booked on murder charge and suspended, while the outgoing SP's bodyguard was arrested for his alleged complicity with the two suspended cops.

Jitendra Rana would be the new Jamui SP. Chief Secretary A K Sinha, Director General of Police Abhayanand, Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) Amir Subhani were present at the high-level meeting, official sources said.

Earlier, as the news of Singh's death spread in his native Jamui district, a large number of angry people took to streets, blocked road and clashed with policemen with stones injuring three of them.

The policemen too lathi-charged in which five women among several persons sustained injuries. District Magistrate Shashikant Tiwari rushed to the spot and prevented policemen from taking women protesters to the police station and pacified the mob in view of the punitive actions being taken by the state government.

With inputs from PTI