Murder suspect found hanging in MP police station lock-up; 'Dalits being targeted', says Congress

A 31-year-old man, arrested in a murder case, was found hanging in the lock-up of a police station in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district on Sunday morning, leading to the suspension of three police personnel, officials said.

Police suspect it was a suicide case.

Opposition Congress claimed the deceased was a Dalit and accused the police of targeting members of Scheduled Caste communities.

Senior police officers were alerted after the body of Balkrishna Jatav, alias Sunny, was found hanging from a cloth tied to a window inside the lock-up of the Civil Lines police station around 5.30 am, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bhupendra Singh Kushwaha told PTI.

He said Sunny, originally from Gwalior, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly killing his brother-in-law whose body was found near a canal last December.

Sunny's family members, however, claimed he was taken into custody four days ago.

After visiting the spot, Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh suspended the police station in-charge and inspector Rambabu Yadav, a head constable, and a constable over the custodial death, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arvind Thakur.

Prima facie, it is a case of suicide, he said.

Thakur said a judicial magistrate will probe the custodial death as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission.

"The deceased's autopsy is being conducted by a panel of doctors. Action would be taken according to the evidence which comes forth," he added.

Thakur said Sunny had a criminal record with four to five cases registered against him in different police stations in the past.

Meanwhile, the Congress demanded the dismissal of the Morena superintendent of police over the incident.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari wrote, "Is it a crime to be a Dalit in MP? After Katni, another Dalit has come on the police target".

He was referring to the alleged bashing of a Dalit woman and her grandson in police custody which came to light this week after a video went viral. In that case, also, a woman police officer and other police personnel faced action.

Why is the BJP government harbouring so much hate against people with the ideology of Dr BR Ambedkar, Patwari questioned.

Patwari threatened to sit on an indefinite hunger strike if Morena SP was not dismissed and the murder case not registered against policemen.

The Congress leader spoke to the elder brother of the deceased over the phone.

Heavy police force has been deployed around the police station after Sunny’s family and acquaintances protested alleging foul play over his death.