Lock-up death alleged

Karimnagar: Death of a man in police custody sparked off tension at Korutla on Monday.

The deceased, Sana Chandraiah alias Chandu, 27, a native of Buggaram in Dharmapuri mandal, was a driver with Rajender, chairman of a primary agriculture society (PACS)?in Dharmapuri, for the last two years.

Police said that Chandu died while being shifted to a private hospital in Karimnagar, as he had sustained injuries after jumping from Korutla police station building during interrogation into the sensational robbery of 1.34 kg gold and '2.84 lakh cash from the PACS on 24 December, last year.

However, his family members alledged that Chandu died due to police torture during interrogation. Police suspect that Chandu might have resorted to the extreme step as he was frightened after a case was booked against him for his alleged involvement in the heist. Gold weighing 2.5 tolas has been recovered from his possession.

He sustained severe injuries on his head as he had jumped off the building, in order to escape from  custody. Along with Chandraiah, two others were also taken into custody, said SP V. Shiva Kumar, adding that investigation was being carried out as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission.

Chandraiah was taken into custody by Dharmapuri police at Buggaram on Sunday afternoon. He was shifted to Korutla police station in the evening after locals staged dharna demanding his release.

Initially, a case was registered against five employees of the society. Chandu is said to have been picked up by the investigating officials when they could not establish role of the five accused in the robbery.

“My son was thrashed to death by police in Korutla station,” alleged his father Narayana. “Chandu was apprehended when he was on the way to attend a function at my residence in Jagtial on Saturday,” said his elder brother Laxman.

The family members suspect something foul to have happened during interrogation. He must died due to torture by police in lockup itself. They questioned: “Why should police take Chandu all the way to Karimnagar, instead of Jagtial, which is near to Kortula, even after he sustained grievous injuries?”

Karimanagar MLA Gangula Kamalakar, Dharmapuri MLA Koppula Eshwar and Korutla MLA K. Vidyasagar Rao visited the district hospital, where the body was kept, and they demanded an enquiry by the CB-CID into the ‘lockup death’. They also pressed for government aid to the kin of the deceased.