Shillong, May 1: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC), Shillong, has taken suo motu cognisance on the custodial death of Rudra Rabha at Khanapara police station, Ri-Bhoi district on April 26.
The police claimed that Rudra had committed suicide in police lock-up after he was arrested in connection with possession of arms.
The commission has issued a notice to the state Director General of Police to submit a detailed report in the matter as per guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission, on or before May 17.
Rudra is the step father of Ajit Rabha who was arrested along with Kavita Rabha on March 26 this year in connection with alleged stealing of forest produce.
The Ri Bhoi SP, in a statement, had said the accused person Rudra, who is also the leader of a gang, was arrested on April 24 and on being produced before the court on April 25, was awarded to 5 days’ police custody. During interrogation of the accused person in connection with the case while in police custody, he admitted that he had kept a country made firearm in concealment in the jungle and expressed his willingness to lead the police team to the place for its recovery Accordingly, on being led by the accused person, the firearm was recovered from the jungle area at Ranibari in the presence of the independent witness. “After observing all legal formalities at the place of occurrence, the recovered firearm was seized and the accused person was brought back to Khanapara PS @ 1:05 Am of 26.04.2024 and kept in the PS lock up for safe custody as there is no lock up in Rani Jirang BOP. However, on 26.04.2024 around 4 am, the sentry on duty, found that the accused person had committed suicide inside the male lock up of the PS by hanging himself from the bars of the lock up with a piece of cloth which he may have made by tearing from the blanket sheet which was provided to him inside the lock-up.
