RAEBARELI: A 19-year-old man died allegedly in police custody in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli district, prompting authorities to suspend a policeman over the matter, officials said on Monday.
While the police claimed that Mohit alias Monu died as his health condition worsened suddenly, the district administration has launched a magisterial investigation into the matter.
"Monu was called to the Lalganj police station for questioning in connection with a motorcycle theft on Sunday.
"At the police station, his health condition worsened suddenly and he was rushed to the district hospital," the Raebareli Police said in a statement.
"Monu died during treatment at the district hospital on Sunday," the police claimed.
However, the deceased's mother Rajpati has given a complaint to senior officials alleging that her son died due to police brutality in their custody.
Scores of people also gathered outside the Lalganj police station on Monday to protest the alleged police action.
Station House Officer of Lalganj police station Harishankar Prajapti has been suspended "as he was found prima facie guilty" in the matter, according to the statement.
"Taking note of the complaint, District Magistrate Vaibhav Shrivastav has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the matter.
The probe would be done by an additional DM and report submitted to the additional superintendent of police, it added.
The body has been sent for postmortem and strict action would be taken on the basis of the autopsy report as well as the magisterial inquiry's conclusion, the police said.