Man held in murder case dies in Chhattisgarh jail; Trainee IPS officer suspended

RAIPUR: A 27-year-old man, arrested along with 68 others in connection with the murder of a deputy sarpanch on September 15, died in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district on Wednesday, prompting the state government to suspend the district’s assistant superintendent of police (ASP), a trainee Indian Police Service officer.
Officers from Kabirdham’s Rengakhar police station picked up Prashant Sahu along with others on Sunday shortly after deputy sarpanch Raghunath Sahu and his family members were attacked by scores of people. Sahu, who was suspected of being involved in the murder of another villager Kachru Sahu died while three of his family sustained injuries in the attack.
A senior police officer said Prashant Sahu complained of uneasiness on Tuesday and was taken to the local hospital where he was treated and discharged. On Wednesday, he collapsed and died soon after.
Deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who is also the state’s home minister, said the government has suspended police officer Vikas Kumar following the custody death case.
“The death in jail is a matter of investigation. On Tuesday, he was taken to hospital for an examination during which X-Ray of his hand was done. As per the doctors, the report was normal. On Wednesday, injury marks were found on the body of the deceased during panchnama. His viscera samples have been sent for forensic examination and its report is awaited,” Sharma told reporters.
Sharma added that some of the other arrested persons also had injury marks and the villagers accused the police of thrashing them on orders of superior officers. “Action has been taken against senior officers. ASP Vikas Kumar has been suspended on the direction of the CM,” he said.