Torture death: 2 policemen suspended

KOLKATA: Two police officers of Posta police station have been suspended for allegedly torturing bookie Arun Lakhotia in police custody in the beginning of March this year.
Lakhotia later succumbed to injuries in a city hospital. The suspension follows the submission of a detailed report by additional commissioner (II) of police Prasun Mukherjee, who was investigating the case.
Mukherjee submitted his report to police commissioner Sujoy Chakraborty.
On the basis of the report, two officers of Posta police station – Subodh Chattopadhyay and Mrinal Mukherjee – were suspended.
According to the complaint, Lakhotia was picked up from his Dum Dum residence late at night in early March.
His wife Sadhana complained that he was tortured in police custody and that the police officers on duty had left him unconscious.
He was first removed to SSKM hospital. Later, Lakhotia’s family members took him to Calcutta Medical Research Institute where he succumbed to injuries.
Sadhana then took the case to the State Human Rights Commission. The Commission in turn sought a report from the police commissioner.
Initially, the then deputy commissioner (central division) Zulfiquar Hasan was asked to conduct an inquiry.
Following this, the accused policemen were transferred to the central division headquarters.
This created a hue and cry and Mukherjee was entrusted with the task of conducting the inquiry. He submitted the report this week to the commissioner indicting the two officers.