CHANDIGARH: Haryana Police on Thursday booked three cops, including a station house officer, in Rohtak for custodial death of a Dalit youth rounded up for gambling on Tuesday.

Villagers blocked the main road in Rohtak town on Thursday demanding termination of the cops’ services for custodial death of Mukesh Kumar, a resident of Chiri village. Traffic was allowed to flow only after senior police officers reached the spot and assured registration of an FIR against the cops, including Lakhanmajra SHO Kulbir Singh, head constable Kuldeep and constable Ranbir.

Villagers alleged that cops posted at Lakhanmajra police station rounded up Mukesh, 30, along with some other youths from the village on Tuesday evening. Manjeet Singh, a protester, said that the cops started thrashing Mukesh at the village chaupal itself. “They also passed casteist remarks against him,” he alleged.

In his complaint, victim’s brother Kuldeep alleged that he was not allowed to meet his brother at the police station. According to the FIR accessed by the TOI, the cops were allegedly beating Mukesh mercilessly when his brother reached the police station.

When Mukesh’s condition deteriorated, Kuldeep was called to the police station. He was rushed to PGIMS, Rohtak, late evening on Tuesday where he died on Wednesday morning.

Demanding action against the cops, the youth’s family members denied to take his body on Wednesday and refused to get postmortem conducted. Officials assured the family that the postmortem would be conducted by a board of doctors in PGIMS and the entire process would be video-graphed.

The victim’s body was brought to the village for cremation on late Thursday.

Villagers have also demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation for the victim’s family.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/FIR-against-3-Rohtak-cops-for-Dalit-youths-custodial-death/articleshow/46305705.cms