HC seeks report on ‘custodial’ death of Palamu youth

Ranchi: While hearing a public interest litigation on Friday alleging custodial death, the Jharkhand high court directed the Palamu chief judicial magistrate (CJM) to produce the medical certificate of the deceased, Mahfuz Ahmed (25). The certificate, submitted by the police before the CJM, had declared Ahmed fit for custody. It was issued by Medininagar Sadar Hospital on March 5, following which Ahmed was sent to jail.However, Ahmed’s condition deteriorated soon after, and he was shifted to Rims, Ranchi, on March 7. He remained under treatment there until his death on March 23. A post-mortem examination conducted on March 24 revealed that he died due to internal blood clots caused by brutal beatings with sticks.Ahmed’s mother, Shaida Khatoon, has filed a petition before the high court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death of her son. A resident of Nava Bazaar in Palamu, Ahmed was arrested on March 1 by the Nava Bazar Police Station in connection with a robbery case at Karimati under Panki Police Station. It is alleged that he was subjected to severe assault and torture while in police custody.His family has denied his involvement in the robbery, claiming that he was picked up by the police from a clinic in Chhatarpur. They further alleged that despite a complaint of illegal detention being filed before the Palamu CJM on March 5, Ahmed was sent to jail on March 6. The police had produced a medical certificate before the CJM stating that he was fit for custody.