Karnal — A man identified as Jitendra Kumar, alias Jackie, a resident of Beejna village in Haryana's Karnal district, has died in the custody of the police's CIA-2 unit, days after a team took him from his home on November 11 for questioning in connection with an illegal arms case, according to reports on Saturday.

Source: Dainik Bhaskar via The Press Reporter

Hours after the family alleged a custodial death, the Karnal superintendent of police suspended three personnel — CIA-2 in-charge Inspector Parveen Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajinder and Head Constable Sandeep — and sent three other personnel to the police lines, Assandh Deputy Superintendent of Police Gorakhpal Rana said.

Source: Chandigarh Daily

The family has alleged that five CIA-2 personnel in plain clothes took Jitendra away on November 11, and has released CCTV footage that it says shows the team taking him from his house. His cousin Rinku alleged that money was demanded from the family, and that after the family moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on November 12, a team that reached the CIA-2 office on the court's orders was given a written statement by the unit in-charge saying Jitendra was not with them. These are the family's allegations; police have not confirmed them.

Jitendra's father Vikram alleged that police personnel had earlier threatened his son and said police were attributing the death to a heart attack; he demanded an impartial investigation. According to the family, Jitendra had spent around 10 years in jail, was released about eight months ago, married three months ago and was farming with his father.

In a related development reported the same night, CIA-2 Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjay Kumar allegedly sustained bullet injuries and was taken to hospital. The family has claimed that a police personnel shot himself, while officials have refused to confirm any connection between the injury and the custody case.

Family members, relatives and villagers gathered at the morgue of Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital in Karnal, demanding an FIR against the personnel involved and a fair investigation. The family later agreed to an autopsy by a medical board under the supervision of a magistrate. DSP Rana said the matter is being investigated and the actual cause of death will be clear after the autopsy report, after which further action will be taken as per rules.

Sources: Dainik Bhaskar report carried by The Press Reporter; Chandigarh Daily.