Mumbai: Kin of undertrial who died in hospital alleges cop brutality

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A 41-year-old man from Mumbra, arrested in an NDPS case by the Mumbra police and lodged at Thane Jail, died last night at the hospital he had been admitted to for the past 20 days. The family of the man is now claiming that he was assaulted by police officers at the jail. The jail authorities have, however, said that the man was a drug addict and had collapsed after a fit and was admitted to hospital. The family members have now demanded a high-level probe claiming it to be a custodial death case.

Ayub Ali Inayat Hussain Jafri is a resident of Mumbra Bypass Road. On December 31, he booked under the NDPS Act. He was in police custody for two days and later sent to magistrate's custody. Ayub is survived by his wife Shahnaz, 38, and four kids, the eldest of whom is 18. "On January 9, we received a call from the jail authorities telling us about Ayub being in serious condition at the Thane civil hospital. When we reached the hospital, he had already been shifted to JJ Hospital as it was a serious case," said Shahnaz.

Mehtab Jafri, 70, Ayub's mo­t­her said when they reached JJ hospital they found him unconscious. "After three days we were allowed to see him while his injuries were being dressed. He told us that he had been assaulted by the police officers. The jail authorities are now saying he was ill. How can he suddenly be ill when he was hale and hearty when he was arrested? Also, the Mumbra police who arrested him found nothing in his possession, but later showed that around 1.25 kg marijuana was seized from him. He was a spectacles salesman and used to take marijua­na, but rarely."

Siraj Khan, an activist who is fighting to rehabilitate the Irani community, said, "A high-level probe and a CBI inquiry should be conducted as it is a custodial death case." Sources from Thane jail clai­m that the Ayub had assaulted one of the police constables, after which he was beaten up by more than 10 police officers.

SPâÂÂu00c2u0080ÂÂu00c2u0088NB Vayachal of Thane Central Jail, said, "On January 3, when he was brought to the jail he had injuries on his body, which he had described himself on paper, saying he had fallen and was injured." A senior jail officer said, "He was a drug addict for the past 10 years. The post-mortem report will reveal the truth."

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