Greater Noida: 2 women held for abetment of suicide of man found dead in police custody

Greater Noida: A day after a 20-year-old man was found dead in police custody in Greater Noida, police arrested two women on Friday for allegedly abetting suicide of the deceased, officers said.

He was taken into police custody on Wednesday on accusations of rape and sexual assault of a woman. On Thursday, his body was recovered from a barrack at Chipiyana police post premises that falls under Bisrakh police station after he allegedly died by hanging himself in the morning, said officers.

His family later alleged that he took his life due to the two women’s harassment. Meanwhile, four policemen, who were deployed at the post concerned, have been suspended from duty for the custodial death of the man and investigation is on to probe any brutality committed against him.

The victim, originally from Aligarh, was residing in Chipyana Buzurg village, Greater Noida west. He worked at a bakery in the village and also lived on its premises.

Following the death, the victim’s family submitted a complaint against two women, including the one who had alleged rape and sexual assault on the deceased. An FIR under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Bisrakh police station.

Deputy commissioner of police (Central Noida) Suniti informed that both the accused women were arrested on Friday evening.

“Both accused women were arrested from Chipyana Buzurg village on Friday and sent to 14-days’ judicial custody after being produced before the magistrate. We are also looking into the allegations that the woman had made against the deceased,” said the DCP.

The accused woman’s rape claims are yet to be corroborated, said senior officers who are part of investigation.

“Some evidence has emerged that the man was being harassed by the two women, one of them has accused him of rape and sexual assault and the other is an accomplice. We also asked them to share the evidences related to the rape complaint. But they could not produce it before the police,” one of the officers said.

The deceased brother Jitendra has alleged that the two women were harassing his brother.

“He was in distress because of repeated frivolous complaints by the women. Because of this, he took the extreme step,” he added.

Meanwhile, a preliminary inquiry against police post in-charge, Bisrakh police station in-charge and assistant commissioner of police, ordered by police commissioner Laxmi Singh, is underway, said officers.

“The inquiry is underway, looking into the conduct of the police personnel at the police post in the matter. We have to check if due process was followed by the police personnel, right from receiving the complaint to calling him for questioning. We are also checking if there was any brutality on the part of police. The investigation is at a very initial stage,” a police officer informed.

Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a human rights and RTI activist, said it was unlawful on part of the police to take the man into custody without filing an FIR in the case.

“The police were acting on the complaint of a woman, but no FIR was registered. In such a case, police can question the suspect, but cannot take them into custody. Keeping the suspect in police custody throughout the night is unlawful. A person can only be kept in police custody when they are arrested, after which, within 24 hours, the police have to produce him/her to a judicial magistrate. In this incident, the man was in ‘unlawful’ police custody,” Sharma explained.