He Loved a Brahmin Girl: 22-Year-Old Dalit Man Found Dead in UP Police Custody; Family Alleges Police Killing
A 22-year-old Dalit man, Arjun Gautam alias Shailesh, was found dead inside the Patti Kotwali police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh district on September 21, after being brought there in connection with a case involving a 17-year-old girl. While police have claimed that Arjun died by suicide after hanging himself inside a police-station toilet, his family has alleged that he was assaulted in custody and killed in a conspiracy involving police personnel and the girl’s family.
An FIR filed on the complaint of Arjun’s father, Lallu Ram, names the girl’s father Santosh Dubey, her brother Anish Dubey and unidentified police personnel as accused. The case has been registered under Sections 103(1) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Family Alleges Police-Girl’s Family Conspiracy
According to the family’s complaint, Arjun had been in a relationship with the girl, whose family opposed the relationship. Maktoob reported that Arjun’s father alleged the girl’s father and brother had previously threatened him and subjected him to caste-based abuse.
Arjun’s sister Kanchana alleged that the girl’s family and police personnel conspired to kill her brother. “They both were in love, but her family didn’t like it and conspired with the police to kill him. They killed my brother in custody.”
Kanchana further alleged that the girl’s family had given money to police personnel and that they jointly killed Arjun inside the police station. These are allegations by the deceased’s family and have not been established by an investigation.
The family has also alleged that Santosh Dubey and Anish Dubey had used caste-based slurs against Arjun and threatened him with death. The father’s complaint states that after the girl left home again on September 16, another case was registered against Arjun. Police subsequently traced Arjun and the girl and brought them to Patti.
Earlier Case Involving the Teenage Girl
The dispute had begun with an earlier case filed by the girl’s brother on July 11, accusing Arjun of abducting his 17-year-old sister under Sections 137(2) and 87 of the BNS.
Police later recovered the girl from Hyderabad. According to reports, she told a court that she had left home after being scolded by her family. Maktoob reported that, following her statement, no criminal case was established against Arjun at that stage.
The girl subsequently left home again on September 16. Her father filed another complaint on August 17, alleging that Arjun had abducted her. Police later traced the two to the Delhi/Ghaziabad area and brought them to Patti. The girl was sent to a One Stop Centre while Arjun remained at the police station.
Police Say Arjun Died by Suicide
Police have rejected the family’s allegation of custodial killing. According to Additional Superintendent of Police (East) Alok Kumar, Arjun went to the toilet during questioning and allegedly hanged himself using a blanket. Police said he was found after the door was opened and was taken for medical examination, where he was declared dead.
The family, however, has questioned how Arjun was able to access the blanket while in custody and has alleged that relatives were prevented from meeting him.
They have also questioned why he was taken to a medical college roughly 25 kilometres away after being found unconscious rather than to a community health centre reportedly around 700 metres from the police station. The family has further alleged that the post-mortem was conducted without their knowledge.
Police Say Arjun Died by Suicide
Following the death, Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhuker suspended Patti station house officer Anand Pal Singh and sub-inspector Omkar Singh, citing alleged negligence in the discharge of their duties. Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against them.
The District Magistrate has recommended a magisterial inquiry, while police have said CCTV footage from the police station and other evidence has been secured for investigation.
The family is demanding an impartial investigation into Arjun’s death. The FIR against the girl’s family members and unidentified police personnel means that the allegations of conspiracy, custodial assault and caste-based abuse are now part of a formal criminal investigation. They remain allegations unless established through investigation or judicial proceedings.
