Rights body orders probe into custody death

GUWAHATI: The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the custody death of one Palash Baruah at the Jorhat Medical College Hospital while he was under judicial custody. Palash was at Mariani in connection with his involvement in betting over the IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket matches and was lodged in District Jail, Jorhat.
On May 27, Palash died in hospital. Police then said Palash was a TB patient and had developed health complications in jail where he was lodged for running a betting racket in Mariani town, bordering Nagaland. Later, Palash's family alleged that police had beaten him up at Mariani Police Station lock-up.
The deceased's family later lodged a complaint against the police officers of Mariani PS and the Jorhat District Jail superintendent accusing them of assault and negligence. The district magistrate will submit his report within 30 days. tnn