Nagpur: In a development that has sent shockwaves through the city and raised troubling questions about custodial safety, a 19-year-old youth arrested in a minor girl kidnapping and POCSO case was found dead inside a Nagpur police lock-up in the early hours of Thursday.
The deceased, identified as Manojkumar Ramji Bhatia, was lodged in police custody at Jaripatka Police Station after being arrested from Uttar Pradesh in connection with a serious offence involving a minor girl.
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According to police officials, Bhatia was produced before a local court on Wednesday after being brought to Nagpur, where the court remanded him to two days of police custody. However, within hours of the remand, the case took a dramatic and tragic turn.
“During routine checking of the lock-up on Thursday morning, the accused was found hanging inside the cell,” said a senior police officer, confirming the incident. Preliminary information suggests that the incident occurred late Wednesday night, when the accused was alone in custody.
The discovery triggered immediate alarm within the police station. Senior officers were rushed to the spot, and the body was shifted under tight security for post-mortem examination, as per mandatory custodial death protocol.
Another police official said an inquiry has been initiated, and the matter has been reported to higher authorities. “All procedures required in cases of death in custody are being followed. Statements of the policemen on duty at the time are being recorded,” the official said.
Police sources revealed that Bhatia was a resident of Handiya village in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh. He had earlier come to Nagpur for educational purposes and was residing in the Jaripatka area.
During this period, he allegedly kidnapped a minor girl belonging to his native village in Uttar Pradesh, following which a complaint was lodged by the girl’s family. Acting on the complaint, police traced Bhatia, rescued the minor, and brought both to Nagpur for legal proceedings.
The case was registered under kidnapping charges and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, making it a sensitive and serious offence.
Custodial death raises questions
The death of an accused inside police custody, especially within hours of being remanded, has inevitably raised questions about monitoring, mental health assessment, and lock-up supervision, even as police maintain that it appears to be a case of suicide.
Police have informed Bhatia’s family about the incident, and further legal formalities are underway. The post-mortem report is expected to provide clarity on the exact cause of death, while the magisterial inquiry will examine whether all custodial norms were strictly followed.
As investigations continue, the incident has cast a shadow over the police station, turning what began as a high-profile criminal case into a grave custodial tragedy, likely to draw close scrutiny from senior authorities and rights bodies alike.
