Minor found dead in police station

A 16-year-old boy died in police custody in Nawada after eloping with a constable's sister, sparking protests over alleged police torture.

A 16-year-old boy, who eloped with a girl (sister of a constable) died in police custody in mysterious circumstances in Nawada on Thursday morning, prompting violent protests, said people aware of the incident. The victim, a resident of Bauri village in Kashi Chowk block, was said to be detained on Wednesday evening after being accused of eloping with the sister of a Bihar Police constable.Tension prevailed in the area throughout the morning as residents demanded accountability of police personnel. Speculations did the rounds that the death had been caused due to torture and the cops tried to hush up the affair.

Minor found dead in police station

Police said the victim had a relationship with a girl from the same village for three years. Both allegedly eloped a week ago. The girl’s brother subsequently filed a complaint, leading to his boy’s detention by Kashichak police around 7pm on Wednesday. He was found dead inside the police station at 7am on Thursday. Strangulation marks were reportedly found on his neck, and family members accused police personnel — and the girl’s family — of killing him in police custody. Victim’s sister Aarti Kumari alleged police tortured him and threatened to teach a lesson. The custodial death triggered protests and vehicular traffic was blocked for over seven hours. An angry mob vandalised a police vehicle and burst the tyres of an emergency service vehicle.

SDPO Pakribarama Rakesh Kumar Bhaskar confirmed the death of a minor within the police station premises and said CCTV footage from inside the building was being reviewed. “A case related to a love affair/elopement had been registered against the minor, and he was detained for questioning. The matter is under investigation,” he added.