Patel agitation: Gujarat HC orders CID probe in custodial death case

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Friday ordered a CID probe in a case of custodial death of a 32-year-old man of Patel community during quota violence after the second post-mortem report stated that he had died due to severe head injury. Justice J B Pardiwala of the high court directed that the investigation into the death of Swetang Patel be conducted by CID.

The court observed that prima facie it was a case of homicide and directed Police Inspector of Bapunagar area to register an FIR in the custodial death case. It also directed CID to submit a progress report of the case till August 31. The order came after the second post-mortem report of

Swetang was submitted before the high court stating the reason of his death was severe head injury causing brain haemorrhage. The court had on Thursday ordered a second autopsy of the body in connection with the plea moved by Prabhaben Patel, mother of deceased Swetang, which said her son was allegedly beaten by the police and ultimately he succumbed to the injuries.

She submitted in her petition that her son was in the house at about 10.30 PM on August 25 when a few police officers entered their housing society, broke the windscreens of cars and other vehicles parked in the society and forcibly took away Swetang and four other persons who were sleeping. "Swetang was one of the five persons who was picked up by the police in the night. He was mercilessly beaten on the main road and, thereafter he was taken to Bapunagar Police Station," said the plea.

"At Bapunagar Police Station also, he was mercilessly beaten. The boy complained of excruciating pain but the same was ignored by the police officers. Ultimately, he succumbed to the injuries," it said. She sought setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of her son. The agitation by the Patel community seeking reservation under OBC status turned violent on August 25.