The family of a 48-year-old man, whose body was discovered inside a police post lock-up in Haryana's Hisar district approximately five months ago, is now demanding that a murder case be registered against three police personnel. The incident has reignited concerns over custodial safety and accountability.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Tragedy
The deceased has been identified as Sanjay Kantiwal, a resident of Mangali Jhara village. According to the complaint filed by his family, the events unfolded on the night of July 22. Sanjay, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, had an argument with his wife. Following the altercation, his wife dialled the police helpline number 112.
A police team subsequently arrived and took Sanjay into custody. He was placed in the lock-up of the Mangali police post. The situation took a tragic turn the next morning when officers checked the lock-up and found Sanjay dead.
Family's Allegations and Demand for Justice
Dissatisfied with the official handling of the case, Sanjay's son, Amit, has submitted a formal complaint to the in-charge of Sadar police station and the Hisar Superintendent of Police. In the complaint, he has sought the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against three specific personnel: ASI Rakesh, constable Deepak, and Special Police Officer (SPO) Suresh Kumar.
The family wants the FIR to be filed under serious charges. They have invoked Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act. A critical point in their complaint is the reference to the post-mortem report. Amit alleges that the report documented a shocking 23 injuries on his father's body. Out of these, one injury was estimated to be seven to eight days old, while the remaining injuries were allegedly inflicted within a 12-hour period prior to his death.
Judicial Inquiry and Ongoing Protests
The mysterious death sparked immediate outrage among local villagers, leading to protests and demands for a thorough investigation. The public pressure resulted in the ordering of a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Sanjay Kantiwal's death.
However, the outcome of this inquiry has further aggrieved the family. Amit stated that the judicial inquiry report, which was submitted on September 29, failed to fix responsibility on any individual. This lack of conclusive accountability has left the family feeling that justice has been denied, prompting them to escalate their demand for a murder case to be registered against the accused police staff.
The case continues to cast a shadow over the Mangali Jhara village, raising urgent questions about procedures in police lock-ups and the mechanisms for ensuring transparency in cases of custodial incidents.
