133 people died in police custody in Gujarat since April 2017, Vijay Rupani informs state Assembly

Gandhinagar: More than 130 people died in police custody in Gujarat in the last two years, the state government informed the legislative Assembly on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_682766” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] The government has paid a compensation of Rs 23.50 lakh to the kin of those who died in police custody during the last two years (ended 30 April, 2019), Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who also handles the home portfolio, told the House in a written reply. The issue of custodial deaths in the state was raised by independent MLA Jignesh Mevani during the Question Hour. Apart from the number of deaths, Mevani also sought to know details of action taken against officers and junior policemen found guilty in custodial death cases after probe. In his written reply, Rupani said 133 cases of custodial death were reported in the last two years. One police inspector, a head constable and a constable were arrested and sent to jail in one case, the chief minister said. In other cases, three head constables were slapped with cash penalty, while chargesheets were served to an inspector, two sub-inspectors, five assistant sub-inspectors (ASI), three head constables and as many constables, according to the reply. The government had stopped increments of one ASI and a constable, while two Gram Rakshak Dal jawans was dismissed after probe in custodial death cases, it added.