KALABURAGI, 25 FEB

Alleging police brutality in the death of Krishna Vithal Rathod, parents and relatives of the 26-year-old protested in front of the City Police Commissioner’s office on Monday night. They claimed that he was taken into custody under the pretext of questioning in the missing case of a woman and was subjected to brutal torture.

A complaint was registered at Roja police station about the disappearance of a woman named Mainabai from Mizaguri Cross on 24 January. The police took Rathod into custody from Hadgil Haruti village for interrogation.

Leaders from the Banjara community also alleged that the police forcibly cremated the youth’s body in front of his mother and brother. They, along with the deceased’s family members, submitted a petition to DCP Kanika Sikrival, demanding justice for Rathod's family and punishment for those responsible.

The community leaders alleged the police, in an alleged bid to cover up the case, threatened Rathod’s mother and younger brother Bhima to implicate them in a double murder case and forced them to give a statement that he died of a heart attack while on the way to a hospital in a police vehicle.

They alleged that the police also offered money to Krishna’s family to hush up the matter.

Bhima alleged that police took him and his mother to the station around 3am on Sunday and made them sign on some blank sheets of paper.

Kalaburagi Police Commissioner Dr Sharanappa SD did not answer calls from Salar News for his response.