Indian authorities have confirmed the death of a 24-year-old man in police custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, sparking protests and demands for a judicial inquiry.
The incident occurred on April 5, 2025, when the man, identified as Rahul Kumar, was detained by local police following a traffic dispute near the Delhi-Meerut highway. According to a First Information Report (FIR) filed by his family, Kumar was taken into custody around 8:30 p.m. And later found unresponsive in a lockup at the Meerut Kotwali police station by early morning.
Police officials initially stated that Kumar had complained of chest pain and was rushed to a nearby government hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. However, the family disputed this account, alleging physical assault during detention and claiming visible injuries on the body, including bruising on the torso and face.
Following the family’s complaint, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code against four officers stationed at the Kotwali police post. The officers have been suspended pending investigation.
The state’s Director General of Police ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, citing the need for transparency. A senior official confirmed that the judicial magistrate overseeing the inquiry has begun recording statements from witnesses, including fellow detainees and hospital staff.
Local civil rights groups have called for the installation of CCTV cameras in all police lockups and urged the National Human Rights Commission to intervene. Protests erupted in Meerut on April 6, with demonstrators blocking traffic and demanding accountability, though police reported no violence during the gatherings.
As of April 7, the postmortem report remains pending, with authorities awaiting viscera analysis to determine the exact cause of death. No arrests have been made beyond the suspension of the implicated officers, and the police have not released further details about the circumstances leading to Kumar’s detention.
