HYDERABAD: A man who was arrested for theft by the Tukaramgate police on Tuesday passed away during the night allegedly due to seizures. However, the family of the deceased, identified as Chiranjeevi, claimed that it was a custodial death caused by police negligence and has filed a case at the Tukaramgate police station. Responding to this, the Station House Office insisted that the death was solely caused by seizures and cannot be considered a custodial death.
Chiranjeevi, who had been arrested for a theft case that occurred in March, was reportedly feeling unwell and complained of uneasiness while in police custody. He suffered seizures and was taken to Gandhi Hospital for treatment, where he later passed away. The body has been sent for a postmortem examination, and the family has not yet received it.
Chiranjeevi had been involved in several cases in Hyderabad and Rachakonda, with five cases registered against him in Panjagutta PS, two in Market PS, and one each in Saroornagar and Tukaramgate PS. Upon learning of Chiranjeevi’s death, his family members, including his wife and mother, staged a protest at Gandhi Hospital, claiming that police brutality caused his death. The family also demanded justice and refused to take the body until an investigation was carried out.
The protest caused a traffic jam on the National Highway. The family has filed a case against the death, and an internal investigation is expected to be initiated. Chiranjeevi’s wife is seeking answers regarding the cause of her husband’s death and expressed concern for their three children who no longer have a father.