J'khand Naxalite dies in police custody; SP urges judge to probe

Following the custodial death of a member of a banned Naxalite outfit inside a police station in Jharkhands Hazaribagh district, the superintendent of police on Wednesday said he has written a letter to the principal district and sessions judge stating that an enquiry into the matter may be conducted by him.Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chothe said 32-year-old PLFI member Nand Kishore Mahto was found hanging in the toilet of Hazaribag Muffasil Police Station lock-up on Tuesday morning.Mahto was accused of extorting NTPC, ONGC and construction companies operating in Barkagaon and Keredari police station areas of Hazaribag district.

Following the custodial death of a member of a banned Naxalite outfit inside a police station in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, the superintendent of police on Wednesday said he has written a letter to the principal district and sessions judge stating that an enquiry into the matter may be conducted by him.

Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chothe said 32-year-old PLFI member Nand Kishore Mahto was found hanging in the toilet of Hazaribag Muffasil Police Station lock-up on Tuesday morning.

Mahto was accused of extorting NTPC, ONGC and construction companies operating in Barkagaon and Keredari police station areas of Hazaribag district. The police set up a special investigation team (SIT) which arrested him on the intervening night of April 25 and 26. ''As it was a case of custodial death, it was informed to the Principal District and Sessions Judge Satya Prakash Sinha in writing as per NHRC guidelines,'' Chothe told reporters.

The SP said the accused was not tortured in police custody.

Mahto broke several appliances inside the toilet before he ended his life. The post-mortem examination was conducted on the body at Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital in the presence of a magistrate, Chothe said.

The police officer said the PLFI member was under pressure as he had two wives with five children and was having some family problems. The People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) is a splinter group of the CPI(Maoist). Mahto, who was earlier associated with the CPI(Maoist), recently came out of jail and joined the PLFI, Chothe said.