JOWAI: Amidst several cases of custodial deaths (police lock-up) in Garo Hills, one Sindu Tati from Muktapur village under Amlarem Sub-Division in West Jaintia Hills died in a VDP lock-up on Thursday last, a delayed report said on Monday.
According to his relatives, Sindu was apprehended by the Village Defense Party (VDP) personnel on Wednesday and was detained for the whole night at the lock-up in Muktapur village Dorbar.
The next morning he was found dead inside the lock-up. The village dorbar buried his body without informing the matter to the police.
A relative of the deceased on ondition of anonymity said that VDP personnel tortured Sindu badly. Later, they put him inside the lock-up with his hands tied upwards, he said.
“The village dorbar hired a few people to bury his body. He is a Hindu and his body should have been cremated,” Sindu’s elder brother said.
They (relatives) also informed that soon after Sindu was found dead inside the lock-up, elders of the village including the Headman, Klip Pohtam and Secretary, John Di Lak Lynthong besides others asked the victim’s relative to sign a paper.
“We did not sign the paper as we wanted to know the cause of his death,” Sindu’s niece said.
In this regard, a complaint was lodged with Dawki Police Station on Monday afternoon.
The West Jaintia Hills district police chief Herbert G Lyngdoh has ordered an inquiry into the matter