Tripura Police suspend five officials amidst protests over alleged custodial death

Agartala, Oct 17: The Tripura Police have suspended five officials in connection with the alleged custodial torture of an inmate, Badal Tripura, who died from his injuries on October 16.

The suspended officials include Sub-Inspector Premjit Roy, Constable Rajkumar Tripura, and three Special Police Officers (SPOs).

The suspension comes in the wake of tensions that erupted on Thursday morning when hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the local police station in Manubazar, South Tripura district, accusing the police of brutality.

Protesters claimed that Badal, a 27-year-old man detained on suspicion of stealing rubber sheets, was subjected to severe physical abuse while in custody.

His body was brought to the protest site, where demonstrators chanted slogans against police violence, highlighting their outrage over his treatment despite being detained for a minor charge.

Superintendent of Police for South Tripura, Ashok Kumar Sinha, told The Assam Tribune that Badal and an accomplice were arrested on the night of October 13, but when the complainant refused to file a formal complaint, they were detained under the Tripura Police Act for disturbing peace while intoxicated.

Sinha stated that CCTV footage indicated Badal had acted violently and resisted arrest. However, he noted that the visible injuries on Badal’s body were not apparent at the time of his detention.

While Sinha did not rule out the possibility of custodial torture, he clarified that Badal's condition deteriorated after his release, leading to his hospitalisation and subsequent death.

In response to the protests, police assured demonstrators that the involved officers would face both legal and departmental action. Following this commitment, the deceased's body was released for post-mortem examination.