Patna: A 24-year-old man named Mohammad Shahzad died in police custody in Gaya district, Bihar. The incident occurred after he was beaten by residents who suspected him of attempted burglary. The police arrested Shahzad on July 6, following allegations from 4-5 residents that they caught him committing a burglary past midnight on Friday. Shahzad was thrashed by the group before being handed over to the police. He was charged with theft and breaking into a house based on a complaint by Prawin Khatoon.
Family’s Allegations
Shahzad’s father, Mohammad Iliyas, claimed that the people who caught and beat his son were responsible for his death. He accused the police of negligence, stating they did not provide timely medical care. Iliyas insisted that his son was falsely accused of theft and was actually on his way to his grandmother’s house when he was attacked. He said, “On July 6, they handed over my son to the police on the allegation of theft. My son died due to thrashing by the people and delay in treatment because of the police.” Iliyas also mentioned filing a complaint against the men who beat Shahzad, but no action has been taken.
Police Response
Gaya city superintendent of police (SP) Prerna Kumar refuted the allegations of negligence. She stated that Shahzad was taken to Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital when he complained of stomach pain, where he died during treatment. The SP mentioned that a medical board was constituted to conduct an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death.
Next Steps
The police await the postmortem report to take further action. The case continues to raise questions about the handling of suspects and the responsibilities of both residents and law enforcement in such incidents.