The family of 18-year-old Salmaan, a resident of Myuri Khurd village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly’s Bhuta area, has accused the local police of driving him to suicide through repeated harassment and physical assault.
Salmaan’s father, Ashfaq, claimed his son was targeted because of their Muslim identity, alleging that police tortured him and threatened to send him to “kala pani” (a colonial-era term for severe imprisonment).
The incident has sparked outrage in the village, with locals expressing fear and anger toward the police.
Following public uproar, the Senior Superintendent of Police suspended Nawabpura outpost in-charge Rajkumar Singh.
According to the family, Salmaan was accused of eloping with a minor girl from Satman village, 40 km away in the Kyoladiya area. The girl’s family had filed a missing person report, and police summoned Salmaan for questioning after his number appeared in the girl’s call records.
Ashfaq alleged that on April 26, Inspector Crime Shravan Kumar and Station House Officer Jitendra Kumar beat Salmaan at the Kyoladiya police station, leaving visible bruises on his back and shoulders.
The family claims Salmaan was summoned daily for 10 days, subjected to beatings, and threatened with jail.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.