Shravasti: Six police personnel, including an SHO, were suspended and three of them booked for murder in connection with the custodial death of youth here, officials said on Saturday.
According to Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar Singh, a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was registered last month against Wajid Ali (22) for allegedly harassing a girl.
He said Ali was taken into police custody on Friday for questioning and later his body was found hanging in the toilet of Gilaula police station.
The SP said the father of the deceased alleged that his son was illegally kept in police custody for two to three days and police indulged in corruption.
Singh said Station House Officer Vinod Kumar, three sub-inspectors and two other police personnel have been suspended. On the complaint of the father of the deceased, a case of murder and illegal custody has been registered against the SHO and two other policemen, he said.
“An officer of the rank of Deputy SP will be probing the incident. District Magistrate has also ordered a magisterial probe in this matter, Singh said.
The brother of the deceased told reporters that “to release him (Ali), Rs 50,000 was paid to the SHO. But he was demanding an additional Rs 2 lakh.”
He also said some people beat up Ali over a land dispute and then called police to arrest him.