The Gauhati High Court has taken up the case of an alleged custodial death of a young man in Assam’s Nagaon district.
A bench comprising Justices Manash Ranjan Pathak and Soumitra Salikia issued notices to the state government following a writ petition filed by Abdul Awal, the father of the deceased, Taffazul.
Awal is demanding compensation and a judicial inquiry into the death, which occurred on August 23.
Taffazul, a resident of Barbheti village, was arrested as a prime suspect in a local rape case.
According to the petition, he was forcibly detained by police officers from Dhing Police Station with the assistance of local village authorities, including the Gaon Bura (village headman) and members of the Village Defence Force.
The petition alleges that Taffazul was taken into custody without due process and subjected to physical torture, which ultimately led to his death.
His family claims that Taffazul was wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity, as police had previously circulated an image of a different suspect.
Following his death, images of Taffazul’s body were allegedly shared on social media, linking him to the rape case, which sparked public outrage. The stigma from the incident led local residents to deny permission for Taffazul’s burial in the village graveyard.
Abdul Awal’s petition points to multiple violations under the Assam Police Act, 2007, particularly sections related to the prevention of custodial violence and misconduct.
The family also highlights the failure of the police to follow guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission on custodial deaths.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 4.