RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: A man died in Bhimadole police custody on Wednesday. His relatives said he was tortured to death. Eluru district police chief Rahul Dev Sharma said the man, M Appa Rao (35), hanged himself from the window of the station’s bathroom.
Appa Rao of Pothunuru in Denduluru was detained on Tuesday in connection with a chain-snatching incident reported a week ago. His brother Sivasankar said Appa Rao was involved in theft cases a decade ago, but transformed later.
Sivasankar said his brother had been missing since April 29. “Bhimadole police did not inform us of his detention,” he said while accusing the police of torturing his brother to death.
SP Sharma refuted the charge. “He went for a shower after breakfast. He took a curtain that he had been using as a pillow, and used it to hang himself.” Police forced open the door after he failed to come out.
He died on the way to a hospital. Police have registered a case of custodial death and an investigation is underway. The district administration ordered a probe by Revenue Divisional Officer KP Kishore into the incident.