Day after being detained by cops, teen found dead

Body of a 19-year-old boy was found on the Nangloi railway tracks near Kirari in Outer Delhi on the early hours of Thursday morning. The victim was identified as Vinod. His body was found mutilated into two pieces suggesting that he was run over by a train, police alleged.

However, his family members allege foul play stating that he was beaten up by the cops of the Prem Nagar police chowki for harassing a 17-year-old girl.

According to police sources, Vinod lived with his family in a JJ cluster. A class VIII dropout, he got into a relationship with a 17-year-old girl two to three years back. However, when the girl got to know that Vinod has fallen into bad company, she stopped talking to him. Vinod kept following her, post which the girl filed a complaint of harassment at the Prem Nagar police chowki on Wednesday.

Sandeep, Vinod’s brother said: “Yesterday (Wednesday), two policemen from the chowki came to our house searching for Vinod. Since Vinod had gone for a retirement party of a neighbour, police went there and dragged him to the Aman Vihar police station (Prem Nagar police chowki falls under Aman Vihar police station) for harassing a girl. At the police chowki, in front of our family and the girl’s family, Vinod signed a maafi nama stating that he won’t trouble her again. Seeing that Vinod has signed  maafi nama, the girl also took back her complaint stating that she is satisfied with the police and does not want to register an FIR.”

 “Meanwhile, an officer privy to the investigation said: “Few policemen were interrogating Vinod. He then asked the cops if he can go to the toilet. Removing his slippers, he ran away from the police chowki right in front of his and the girl’s family.”

“When I went to the police chowki to ask if they have found my brother, they said Don’t worry, he will come back after 2-3 hours. At 7 am the next morning, some locals informed us that Vinod’s body is lying on the Nangloi railway tracks near our house,” said Vinod’s tearful brother.

Sandeep further said: “They have beaten him so badly that he died and to avoid suspicions, they threw away his body near our house. It is a conspiracy of the policemen who killed him.”

Meanwhile, denying allegations that Vinod died under their custody, a senior police said: “No case was registered against him. We cleared him of the harassment charges right in front of both his and the girl’s family. He ran away in front of them. It is possible that he committed suicide by coming in front of the train as he was upset over the girl not talking to him.”

Police have initiated inquest proceedings under relevant sections of law at the Sarai Rohilla railway police station. Apart from a joint inquiry by the Outer and Railway Police, a magisterial probe by the SDM has been initiated into the matter.