Dalit boy's death: 2 police officers booked

Sonipat/Chandigarh (Har), Oct 24: Amid a raging row, two police officers were on Oct 23 booked on charges of murder of a 15-year-old Dalit youth in Sonipat even as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar claimed that he had committed suicide and had not died in police custody as alleged by his family.

Murder charges were slapped against two Assistant Sub Inspectors of police, said Superintendent of Police, Sonipat, Abhishek Garg.

He said the two cops were also booked under sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on the direction of National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission.

The cases were filed after National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission member Ishwar Singh met the deceased boy's family.

The Commission also summoned Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Ratan and SP Abhishek Garg to its Delhi office on October 26 with status report.

The policemen were booked even as the Chief Minister claimed that the boy had committed suicide.

"The post mortem report will throw light on why the suicide took place and for what reasons," Khattar said while addressing media in Chandigarh after the victim's family alleged that he was beaten up by police and died in custody after being accused of pigeon theft.

"As per information, two families Gadia Lohar and Dhanik had some dispute over the issue of some money and pigeon. There was a dispute of Rs 6,000. Their matter was resolved in police station where two persons mutually decided to equally contribute the money. However, one family gave its share and other has not given," he said.

Khattar said the boy was not questioned by the police.

"There was no questioning (of minor boy). He himself went to the police station. One family went with the complaint where matter was resolved. After the matter was resolved, they went to their house and during night suicide took place, as per unofficial information," he said.

At the same time, he said, "one family member will be given job and we have also made compensation available to the family members."

Meanwhile, according to sources the body of the youth was found lying on the floor and not hanging in his uncle's house.

The family of teenage Dalit boy, whose death has sparked uproar, alleged that the police had put pressure on them to cremate the boy last night. According to Sanjeet Devi, the mother of Govind, "About eight to ten policemen came to our home at 11 PM last night and put pressure on us to perform last rites then and there."

"Their behaviour was not good and after we denied to perform the last rites they went back," she said.

The deceased boy's uncle, Ram Nivas, expressed apprehension that police might harass them in future as well.

PTI