Bengal: Muslim Man Taken to Police Station; Family Alleges Custodial Assault
A Muslim man died after being taken to a West Bengal police station; family alleges custodial assault.
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A 35-year-old Muslim man named Barjahan Shah died after being taken to Dubrajpur police station in Birbhum district, West Bengal, on suspicion of theft. The incident occurred in the Jashpur area on Thursday evening. Shah, a resident of Pachiyara village, was reportedly handed over to the police by local residents who suspected him of theft. He was later declared dead at Dubrajpur Mansaray Hospital.
According to The Observer Post, Shah’s family has alleged that he was assaulted while in police custody and denied timely medical treatment. Police, however, have stated that Shah was beaten by a mob before being rescued and brought to the station. The circumstances of his death are currently under investigation.
Shah’s son, Ismail Shah, claimed that CCTV footage from the police station showed his father being treated brutally, though this footage has not been independently verified as coverage revealed. An eyewitness, Sheikh Jahangir, stated that he saw Shah in a very weak condition inside the police station at around 6:30 pm, raising further questions about the events leading to his death.
Shah’s wife, Ajmira Bibi, alleged that she was not allowed to speak to her husband after being called to the police station. She reported seeing blood coming from his mouth and nose and claimed that police dismissed her concerns instead of arranging medical care as details emerged. The family has demanded that CCTV footage be examined as part of the investigation.
“My husband died before my eyes. I saw blood coming from his mouth and nose, but the police dismissed the matter as ‘drama’ instead of arranging proper treatment,” Ajmira Bibi stated.
Local residents and Shah’s family gathered outside Dubrajpur police station to protest after news of his death spread. Tensions escalated when police attempted to transport Shah’s body from the hospital, with villagers blocking the ambulance and staging a demonstration according to eyewitness accounts. The family and community members have called for accountability and an impartial investigation.
Police have denied allegations of custodial assault, describing the incident as a case of mob violence. Additional Superintendent of Police (Bolpur) Abhishek Roy stated that Shah was beaten by a mob on suspicion of theft and that police rescued him. He added that previous allegations involving intoxication and minor offences against Shah were also being investigated as officials confirmed.
Shah’s father-in-law, Mubarak Khan, lodged a written complaint at Dubrajpur police station naming six individuals and alleging that they had severely beaten Shah on suspicion of theft. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death as investigation continued.
“Everything will become clear once the CCTV footage is examined,” said eyewitness Sheikh Jahangir.
The competing accounts regarding Shah’s death remain unresolved. The findings of the post-mortem examination, review of CCTV footage, and the ongoing investigation into the complaint are expected to be critical in establishing the circumstances leading to his death as further updates are awaited.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.