Muslim man dies in police custody in eastern India
Family alleges torture and medical neglect after arrest, while authorities order investigation into death before court appearance
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A 42-year-old Muslim man died in police custody in India’s eastern state of West Bengal a day after being arrested on suspicion of cattle smuggling, triggering protests by his family, who accused security personnel of torture and medical negligence and demanded an independent investigation.
The deceased, identified as Noor Hossain Sheikh, had been detained during a joint operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and West Bengal Police near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district, according to local media reports.
Authorities alleged that he was apprehended with eight cattle that were allegedly being smuggled across the international border.
Police said Sheikh was scheduled to be produced before a local court when officers found him unconscious inside a lock-up at Tufanganj Police Station on Wednesday morning. He was taken to a government hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Cooch Behar Superintendent of Police Jaspreet Singh said an unnatural death case had been registered and that a magisterial investigation had been initiated.
Officials initially said Sheikh may have suffered a stroke and noted that he reportedly had a history of high blood pressure. Police said the exact cause of death would be determined after a postmortem examination.
Sheikh’s family rejected the official account and denied that he was involved in cattle smuggling. His brother, Noor Mohammad Mia, alleged that the 42-year-old became seriously ill after being taken into custody and that relatives informed police about his medical condition when they visited the station on Tuesday night.
According to the family, authorities failed to provide timely medical treatment despite being alerted to his deteriorating health.
Mia further alleged that his brother was tortured while in the custody of the BSF and police and said the family was not immediately informed about his condition on Wednesday morning. Instead, relatives learned of his death only after going to the police station and later finding his body in the hospital morgue.
Police have not publicly responded to the family’s allegations of torture or negligence.
The death sparked protests in Balabhut, where relatives and local residents blocked a government office demanding a fair and impartial investigation into the custodial death.
The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) said that even if the allegations of cattle smuggling were assumed to be true, Sheikh was entitled under Indian law to be produced before a court and defend himself.
The rights group said a death in custody before guilt is established, whether caused by torture or negligence, raises serious concerns about unlawful deprivation of life and the state’s responsibility to protect people held in its custody.
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