MP: 3 cops suspended after accused dies while attempting to escape from custody

Three policemen have been suspended after an accused in an idol theft case died in police custody after he allegedly tried to escape jumping from a hotel in Gujarat’s Surat on Thursday, officials said on Saturday.

Police said the accused jumped from the second floor of the hotel to escape from the cops. (Representative Image)

Damoh superintendent of police (SP) Rakesh Kumar Singh on Saturday suspended Kerbana outpost in-charge Yogendra Gaikwad and two constables after the accused died in police custody.
A resident of Gugrakala village of Damoh, Narendra Lodhi, 27, stole an antique idol of a god from Khaderi village two years ago. He had been absconding since then. Police got information that the accused was in Surat. Outpost in-charge Yogendra Gaikwad along with two police constables reached Surat, where the accused used to work in a private company. With the help of local police, the Damoh police arrested the accused on Wednesday night. In the night, Damoh police took the accused to a hotel. In the morning, the police opened the handcuffs of the accused as he wanted to go to bathroom. The accused came out of the bathroom and tried to run away. He later jumped from the second floor of the hotel to escape the police arrest. He was injured seriously and later died in the hospital on Thursday. Police came back with the body of Lodhi on Friday,” said the SP.
The family members of Lodhi demanded a fair probe in the matter as they accused police of killing him.
His father Nathu Lodhi said, “My son died in police custody. He was beaten to death police and to give it a name of accident, they threw my son from a hotel. Fair probe should be conducted in the matter.”
The SP said, “The investigation is going on in the matter. The cause of death will be known after the postmortem report.”
(with inputs from Anupam Pateriya from Sagar)