Death of RTI activist Jagdish Goliya in police custody: Cops removed; FIR lodged

Jaipur: A day after an RTI activist – identified as Jagdish Goliya – allegedly died in police custody, SP Barmer Sharad Choudhary suspended SHO Saroj Choudhary and sent 23 policemen to reserve police lines. An FIR was also registered against 10 police who were accused of beating up the victim under IPC sections pertaining to murder.

According to preliminary reports,  Jagdish Goliya was injured in a scuffle over land dispute on Saturday. Instead of taking him to hospital, the Pachpadra police station cops arrested him for disrupting peace and put him behind bars. He was in need of treatment, but he was kept in the lock-up throughout the night. He was taken to a court for a hearing. Jagdish fell to the ground in the court. The tehsildar directed the policemen to immediately rush him to a hospital. He died on the way.

As the victim died in police custody, all the policemen of Pachpadra police station were removed from duty and sent to lines. The family members of the victim have accused 10 policemen including the woman SHO of torturing him and registered an FIR for murder.

A post-mortem examination was conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate and the body was handed over to the family members.