Man found hanging from tree in handcuff after fleeing from custody: Police

A 30-year-old man, held on suspicion of mobile theft, allegedly fled from police custody, following which his body was found hanging from a tree in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Friday, officials said. On Thursday, Prakash escaped from custody when he was taken for relieving himself, they said. On Friday, his body was found hanging from a tree on the backyard of Kalubathan High School, they added.

A 30-year-old man, held on suspicion of mobile theft, allegedly fled from police custody, following which his body was found hanging from a tree in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Friday, officials said. Police claimed that Prakash Gorai died by suicide after fleeing from custody on Thursday, while his family alleged that he was killed and then hanged.

Prakash was taken into custody three days back from the Pindrahat area by personnel of the Kalubathan police station for interrogation on allegation of mobile phone theft against him, police said. On Thursday, Prakash escaped from custody when he was taken for relieving himself, they said.

On Friday, his body was found hanging from a tree on the backyard of Kalubathan High School, they added. Nirsa's subdivisional police officer Vijay Kumar Kushwaha along with a team went to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. The handcuff was on his left hand, officials said.

"An investigation is being done into the death," Kushwaha said. Prakash's father Dhani Gorai alleged that the body was hanged after he was killed in custody.

"Why would he die by suicide after escaping from custody? The way the body was hanging it seemed it was planted there," he alleged. Dhanbad Zilla Parishad chairman Robin Gorai also alleged that it was a case of custodial death and the police were trying to cover it up.