A non-Naga identified as one Ramesh Kumar Yadav (38), permanent resident of Bihar and presently residing at Burma Camp, Nagagoan, Dimapur has died while in police custody at East Police Station, Dimapur. In this connection, Commissioner of Police Dimapur Liremo Lotha has informed that a “magisterial inquest” has been ordered.
According to Liremo, the deceased along with three non-Nagas were arrested in connection with arms and drugs peddling from Burma Camp on Wednesday at around 1 a.m and later one of them was found dead inside the cell at around 4:30 am to 5 am. After the recovery of the body, Liremo said that police along with designated magistrate took the body to district hospital Dimapur for post mortem.
When asked whether the deceased was an autorickshaw driver, the commissioner said that it was “pre-mature” as police are investigating the case.
When contacted police sources divulged that the deceased along with the accomplices were under surveillance for drugs and arms smuggling. Police sources said the deceased along with two others were arrested on Wednesday while one (brother of the deceased) was absconding.
Another police source said the modus-operandi was the brother of the deceased would travel to Bihar and smuggle huge consignment of drugs to Dimapur and exchanged it for live ammunition. The ammunition or arms were then smuggled outside the state, said Police sources.
Police source also said that during initial interrogation, the arrested persons admitted that they were “substance abusers”. Police also said that .22 pistol along with 20 round of ammunition and 100 tablets of nitrosun was seized during their arrest.
General Auto Drivers (GAD) union Dimapur demanded “termination” of the investigation officer of East Police station from the service after one of its member was found dead in police custody. GAD said that the deceased Ramesh Yadav was one of its members with “Id no. 024”. The union also warned that it would resort to “chakka bandh” if its demand was not met.
DDADU: Dimapur District Auto Drivers Union (DDADU) has vehemently condemned the custodial death of an auto driver, Ramesh Kumar Yadav, who was picked up by Dimapur Police on Tuesday night. “It is understood that police can arrest people for criminal activities and subject to thorough interrogation but not to such an extent of torture that someone dies in their custody”, said DDADU president, K. Hokaito Zhimomi in a press statement. Further, the union demanded inquiry into the whole incident, which led to the death of Ramesh, and also that the responsible persons/police officer be suspended for his “brutal act”. DDADU also demanded that the police give adequate compensation to the kin of the victim and deliver justice at the earliest.