Patna: Tension gripped Phalka area of Katihar district after a youth died in police custody, triggering a violent protest from locals. An angry mob surrounded the Phalka police station, vandalised it, chased and assaulted police officers, including a woman constable, forcing several officers to flee to a nearby cornfield.The deceased, Rakesh Kumar Yadav (24), a resident of Gopalpatti, was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of a motorcycle theft. He died on Saturday morning during treatment at the sadar hospital, Katihar.According to police, Rakesh attempted suicide by hanging himself inside the police station lock-up. When his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the primary health centre around 7am and later referred to the sadar hospital, where he succumbed at around 11am.The deceased’s family, however, rejected the police version and accused officers of brutally torturing Rakesh. They claimed that although the owner of the stolen motorcycle did not identify Rakesh as the thief, police still detained him overnight and beat him severely in front of his family members to extract a confession. His sister-in-law, Komal Yadav, alleged that the SHO strangled him to death and is now claiming it was a suicide attempt.Soon after news of his death spread, angry family members and locals blocked the Phalka-Kursela State Highway and raised slogans against the police and district administration. The mob even snatched the police rifle, which was later recovered by the police.SP, Shikhar Chaudhary, took immediate action by suspending SHO Ravi Kumar Rai and the investigating officer, Kundan Patel. He also ordered a probe into the incident. A large contingent of police has been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.SDPO, Sadar-II, Ranjan Kumar Singh, said a special investigation team has been formed to examine all aspects of the case. “Rakesh was arrested in connection with a robbery case. He attempted suicide on Saturday morning and was taken to the hospital in a critical condition, where he died during treatment,” the SDPO said.
