Mandya:  Four Policemen, including a Sub-Inspector, have been suspended for the alleged death in Police custody (lock-up death) that was reported from Mandya yesterday. A CID probe has also been ordered.

Forty-eight-year-old Murthy, son of Belathur Bettaiah of Besaganahalli in Maddur taluk, was allegedly found hanging in a toilet at the Mandya West Police Station yesterday morning. He was brought to the Station on the morning of July 12 in connection with a motorcycle theft. Murthy is said to have committed suicide.

Alleging that he was tortured and starved, Murthy’s relatives and Dalit outfits protested outside the station and also near the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences mortuary. According to them, three persons were picked up by the Police on June 9. All were allegedly subjected to torture and only one, Nagaraju of Antharahalli near Maddur, was produced before a Court. While Nagaraju secured bail on Thursday, the other two were “illegally confined” at the Police Station, they charged.

Following the incident, Sub-Inspector Anand Kumar, Station House Officer Madesh, Constable Mallikarjuna Jhalaki and Sentry Varadaraju have been suspended by Mandya SP G. Radhika.

Senior Police officials said that Murthy had committed suicide by hanging himself at the station. There was no one to monitor him as most of the Policemen were on night patrol. An investigation would be conducted, they said.

However, Murthy’s relatives pointed out that there were many injuries on his body and moreover, Murthy had a tall personality and it was impossible for him to hang from the window as his legs touched the ground. The relatives alleged that Murthy died as he could not bear the torture and starvation.

Meanwhile, a Crime Investigation Department (CID) has been asked to probe the custodial death. SP Radhika said that the decision of handing over the case has been taken after seeing Murthy’s post-mortem report.