Man Dies After Being Summoned to Police Station in Kolkata

A middle-aged man died after being called to Amherst Street police station in Kolkata in connection with theft of a mobile phone, with his family alleging he was tortured. Police, however, maintained he had a sudden bout of seizure and collapsed.

A middle-aged man died on Wednesday after being called to Amherst Street police station in Kolkata in connection with the theft of a mobile phone. His family has alleged that he was tortured, but police maintain that he had a sudden bout of seizure and collapsed.

Family Alleges Torture

The man, identified as Ashok Kumar Singh, a native of Bihar residing on Patuatola Lane in Kolkata, was declared brought dead after being taken to Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. Following Singh's death, his family members staged a protest outside Amherst Street police station and blockaded College Street, affecting road traffic for at least an hour.

A relative of the deceased said, "He was summoned by the police and asked to bring with him the phone he was using. He went inside Amherst Street police station and my wife, who was his niece, was waiting outside. After some time, we found him lying on the floor with blood oozing out of his nose. He was not responding and when we took him to the hospital, he was declared brought dead."

Police Deny Allegations

Police, however, denied that Singh was beaten up at the police station and claimed he had a sudden bout of seizure and collapsed on the floor. "There was no incident of any beating... he experienced a sudden bout of seizure and collapsed on the ground," a senior officer of Kolkata Police said. "We will, however, investigate the matter and go through CCTV footage. We are awaiting the post-mortem examination report. We have to be sure that the man had no diseases, which could also be the cause of his death."

Complaint Lodged

Singh's family members have lodged a police complaint with the Amherst Street police station over the incident. The police have assured them of a thorough investigation into the matter.

The death of Ashok Kumar Singh in police custody has raised serious questions about the conduct of the police. The family's allegations of torture must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must be brought to justice. The incident also highlights the need for police reform in India, to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.