As the body arrived at his Isauli village on Saturday night, local residents blocked the Agra-Bareilly highway demanding action against the inspector .
After senior police officials promised action, the villagers performed his funeral on Sunday morning.
Said SSP Etah Ajay Mohan Sharma: “The matter is being investigated by Circle Officer Jalesar Vijay Kapil and action will be taken against the policemen.”
DIG Aligarh Range has formed a probe team to investigate the cause behind the death of Balbir Singh. The State Human Rights Commission has also taken up this matter and sought details from Etah police.
On April 7, one Manik Chandra of Isauli village had come to his in-laws' residence in Sarani village, and while returning he had a quarrel with his wife and in-laws, after which he jumped into a canal. His body was found on April 9 from Hajara canal.
The same day, the dead man's uncle Gangaram filed an FIR under sec 306 IPC against the in-laws, his father-in-law Sahib Singh, wife Savitri Devi, father-in-law's brothr Sunehri Lal, Prempal and village pradhan Manvir Singh.
In his statement before his death, Balbir Singh said, the Station Officer of Avagarh Devendra Pandey put him in a 108 ambulance, and four policemen caught hold of his hands and legs, and injected petrol four times in his genitals. “The policemen were drunk and asked me to confess. I swore on my daughter's head saying I was innocent.
The torture was done on the orders of SO Devendra Pandey.”
During investigation, Avagarh police changed the direction of the case and charged the dead man's brother Mahesh, brother-in-law Chob Singh, Balbir Singh and Banney Khan of murdering Manik Chandra and throwing his body in the canal. Police cited the motive behind the murder being Manik Chandra's illicit relations with Mahesh's wife.
All four accused were arrested on April 24, and then started the third-degree torture on all four. After forcing confession from all four, they were sent to jail.
In jail, the infection spread in Balbir's body, and his friend Banney Khan's condition also worsened. The jail doctor sent all four to Etah district hospital, where Balbir's condition deteriorated He was referred to SN Medical College, Agra, but when his condition did not improve, the doctors sent him to GMC Medical Collage Lucknow, where he died in the ICU on Saturday.
The infection had spread all over Balbir's body, and his swollen genitals showed festering wound. The infection had spread to his intestines, and he was on blood drip. He finally succumbed to torture in Lucknow hospital.
