Custodial death: SHRC registers case, starts probe

Lucknow: The death of school dress supplier Mohit Pandey (32), who allegedly suffered torture in the police lockup at Chinhat police station, has been taken up by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC). Following a petition filed by a private organisation, the SHRC registered the custodial death case and initiated investigation. Police officers will soon receive notices to record their statements. Meanwhile, police have yet to record statements of the bereaved family members as they were unable to do so on Tuesday.Mohit Pandey, a resident of Vibhav Khand in Gomtinagar, died under suspicious circumstances on Friday. The Chinhat police had detained him in the station's lockup over a minor altercation with one Adesh. His family filed a murder case, accusing inspector Ashwini Chaturvedi, the Chinhat station in-charge and other unidentified officers of beating up Mohit, which they alleged led to his death. Adesh and his unidentified uncle were also named in the case.Chaturvedi was suspended and his subordinates — additional inspector Shriprakash Singh and head-constable Anand Bhushan — were transferred pending completion of the probe. Investigation has been assigned to inspector Sudhir Awasthi of Gomtinagar Extension. Awasthi said he tried to contact Mohit's family for statements on Tuesday. Efforts to record statements will continue on Wednesday.