Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has taken cognizance of the alleged custodial death of a youth at Dhing in Assam’s Nagaon district on August 23.
On Monday, a high court bench of Justices Manash Ranjan Pathak and Soumitra Salikia issued notices to the state government following a writ petition filed by the victim’s father, Abdul Awal.
Awal is seeking compensation and a judicial inquiry into his son Taffazul’s death, which occurred on August 23.
Taffazul, a resident of Barhheti village in Nagaon district, was arrested as one of the prime accused in connection with the Dhing rape incident.
Taffazul was allegedly forcibly picked up by a police patrol from Dhing Police Station, with the assistance of Gaon Bura (village headman) of Barhheti, along with the President and Secretary of the local Village Defence Force.
According to the petition, Taffazul was allegedly detained without proper notice or explanation and subjected to physical torture while in custody at Dhing Police Station. His family claimed that this mistreatment led to his death.
The petitioner further alleges that Taffazul was wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity. The police had previously circulated a photo of a suspect in the rape case, and Taffazul was mistakenly identified.
Following his death, the police allegedly circulated images of Taffazul’s body on social media, falsely associating him with the rape case. This led to public outrage and stigmatization of his family, with local residents refusing to allow Taffazul’s burial in the village graveyard.
Abdul Awal’s petition highlights several legal violations, including breaches of sections 47(a), (b), (c), 148(a), (b) of the Assam Police Act, 2007. These sections pertain to the duty of police officers to act without bias and to prevent custodial violence.
Furthermore, the petition seeks punishment for police officials under Section 98(a) and (b) of the same Act, which provides for stringent penalties in cases of custodial misconduct and death.
ALSO READ: Assam Congress stages sit-in protest against smart meters & exam mismanagement
The petition also highlights the police’s failure to adhere to the National Human Rights Commission’s guidelines on custodial deaths.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 4.
