Representative image showing a dead body.
Credit: iStock Photo
Jodhpur: Tension gripped Dechu town in Rajasthan's Phalodi district after a rape accused allegedly hanged himself in police custody at the Dechu Police Station on Thursday night.
The rape accused's community members laid siege to the police station, calling the death a murder.
Refusing to accept the body, they demanded suspension of all policemen at the police station, government job to the next of kin and a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family.
Inspector General of Police (Jodhpur Range) Vikas Kumar later reached the police station and called in additional force from the surrounding districts to tackle the situation.
The situation is now under control and talks with the protestors are in progress, said Kumar.
"The demand of suspension of the policemen can be considered, but the demand of compensation and job to the kin is the discretion of the state government," he added.
According to reports, the police had detained Fool Singh following allegations of rape with a dumb and deaf minor on Wednesday.
A report was filed at the Dechu Police Station on the same day accusing Fool Singh of rape.
After filing the report, the police had taken the survivor for medical examination. The accused was taken into custody after confirmation of rape and brought to the police station on Thursday.
According to reports, the police had put him up in a room instead of lodging him in the cell at the police station.
"On Thursday night, the accused Fool Singh hanged himself from the ventilator grills of the room using his scarf. He was found hanging by the policemen on Friday morning. We rushed him to the hospital, where he was declared dead," said a police officer.
As the news of custodial death spread, the community members began assembling at the police station raising slogans against the police and demanding justice for the accused.
On the other hand, the family members of the accused have alleged that police had picked him three days earlier and kept him at the police station without arrest.
His brother said that he had brought meal for him on Thursday evening and he was fine then. He alleged that there were liquor bottles on the table at the police station and claimed that his brother was ill-treated by the policemen.