Police torture: Bengal CID takes over probe into death of youth

Kolkata: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been handed over the task of investigating the death of Abu Siddik Halder, who died last week at Dholahat in West Bengal, allegedly due to police torture while incustodycustody.

The development surfaced after a case was filed by the family members of the victim at Calcutta High Court demanding a proper investigation in the matter, following which the single-judge Bench of Justice Amrita Sinha also directed a second post-mortem of Halder’s body.

Justice Sinha said that the viscera report will have to be sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) at Hyderabad for further examination, besides instructing the police to ensure total safety of the family members of the victim and the witnesses in the case.

The next date of hearing in the matter is July 22.

Halder died on July 8, just four days after he was released on bail by a District Court in South 24 Parganas District.

The victim was arrested by police on June 30 on charges of stealing jewellery.

The family members alleged that he was beaten up in custody, which was evident from the injuries that were visible when he was presented before a District Court on July 4.

He was granted bail on that day and was sent to a local hospital, where he was released after primary treatment.

Halder's mother Taslima Bibi claimed that his condition started deteriorating when he came back home, following which he was shifted to a hospital in Kolkata.

Later he was admitted to a private nursing home for further treatment. However, he died late on July 8 night.