Probe reveals youth committed suicide
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 20
More than a year after a youth was found dead inside a police station at Buddal police station under mysterious circumstances, the magisterial inquiry ordered by the state government has reportedly confirmed that the youth had actually committed suicide. The inquiry has also reportedly found the negligence on part of local police officials.

Sources in the district administration who accessed the inquiry report submitted by the inquiry officer to the state government confirmed that youth Abdul Rasheed arrested by the police on charges of murder who died inside a police station had committed suicide and was not murdered by the police. However, the inquiry officer has reportedly found that the police personnel deployed at the police station as also its SHO were negligent since they couldn't prevent the incident to happen, they added.

Rasheed along his two brothers Sakhi Mohd and Muneer Hussain, was picked up from his village on May 8 last year in connection with the killing of Kashmir Singh and Chain Singh, of the same village, who were beheaded by unidentified gunmen, while cutting wood in Kala Gawa forests in the Daryal area on April 21 last year.

After the police had arrested them following their alleged established involvement in the murder of the two, Rasheed had asked the cops to open the lockup as he wanted to use the washroom. "Before entering the washroom, he managed to take along a knife from the kitchen just close to the washroom. After some time a police constable went inside the washroom where he found Rashid lying in a pool of blood", sources had said.

Later, Rashid was shifted to local hospital from where doctors referred him to district hospital at Rajouri. He died on way to the hospital, the sources added.

The then SSP, Rajouri, Farooq Ahmed Khan, had ordered the immediate suspension of in charge of Budhal police station and the guards on duty. The deputy commissioner, Rajouri, Sheikh Rafiq, had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Confirming that the district administration has received an inquiry report from investigating officer, a senior officer told The Tribune that the district administration would recommend action against the then SHO, Buddhal Police Station.