Maharashtra has become the leading state in the number of deaths in police custody of persons “not remanded in custody by court”. According to the figures by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) recently, in India, there were 75 such deaths in 2011. Of these, 32 were reported from Maharashtra alone. Besides, three persons died in police custody in Maharashtra after their remand in 2011, taking the total custodial deaths to 35. As per the “Crime in Maharashtra 2010” report compiled by the state CID, there were as many as 23 deaths in police custody in Maharashtra 2010. Of these, 18 were of persons “not remanded in police custody”. One of the latest cases was reported from Pune, in which 48-year-old Aslam Razzak Shaikh died after he suffered heart failure at Charholi police chowkie, which comes under the Vishrantwadi police station. He had been called in for questioning by the police. A resident of Charholi, Shaikh was not arrested or remanded in police custody by court. One Subhash Gawai had filed a complaint application against him following a financial dispute between them. The state CID is investigation the matter now.
Jalinder Supekar, superintendent, CID said, “We have recorded the statement of the witnesses in this case. The post-mortem report of deceased is awaited.” Illness, natural deaths and suicides are stated to be the prime reasons for deaths in police custody in Maharashtra. According to NCRB, of the 35 deaths in custody in Maharashtra in 2011, 13 were due to illness/natural, 11 were suicide cases, seven died during hospitalisation or treatment, three were killed while escaping from custody and one was accidental.