Pramesh S Jain
The Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority has taken suo motu cognisance of the reported lock-up death of 38-year-old Khalilulla at Harapanahalli in Vijayanagara district and issued a notice to the district Superintendent of Police seeking a comprehensive report.
Khalilulla,a resident of Mehboob Nagar in Harapanahalli, was allegedly brought to the police station in connection with a domestic dispute.
His family has alleged that he was physically assaulted by police personnel while in custody,resulting in his death.
According to the complaint filed by his wife,Shainabi, she had contacted the 112 emergency service late Saturday night,alleging that her husband was intoxicated and creating a disturbance at home.
Police subsequently took Khalilulla to the Harapanahalli police station in a 112 ERSS vehicle.
The family has alleged that he was assaulted at the station and later died from the injuries.
However,Vijayanagara SP,Jahnavi has given a different account.According to the police,Shainabi had sought assistance to counsel her allegedly intoxicated husband.
Khalilulla was brought to the station,where he reportedly fell and sustained injuries.He was immediately shifted to the taluk hospital in a Tata Ace vehicle,but died while undergoing treatment.
Following the allegations,a case has been registered against police personnel Raghavendra and Venkatesh, and a detailed investigation has been ordered into the circumstances surrounding the injuries and death.
The Police Complaints Authority took up the matter after reports appeared in the media describing the incident as a lock-up death allegedly caused by police assault.
The death triggered heavy protests and tension outside the police station and hospital, prompting authorities to deploy additional police personnel and KSRP units to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile,a specialised CID team led by DySP Gopalakrishna T.Nayak has taken up the investigation.
The team has seized CCTV footage from the police station,collected forensic evidence and formally arrested the two accused police personnel.
The investigation is continuing to establish the exact circumstances leading to Khalilulla’s death and determine the role of the accused personnel.
Authority member Mohan Kumar Danappa said the matter had been treated seriously and a suo motu case registered.The Vijayanagara SP has been directed to a submit a detailed report to the Authority.
“Once the report is received,appropriate proceedings will be initiated in accordance with the rules,”Danappa said.
The inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances of Khalilulla’s detention,the injuries sustained by him,the conduct of the police personnel involved and the sequence of events leading to his death.
