Dalit boy charged with theft found dead in Haryana

Chandigarh: Close on the heels of two Dalit children being burnt alive at Sunped village in Faridabad, a 15-year-old Dalit boy, who was charged with theft of a pigeon, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Haryana's Gohana town on Thursday.

According to police, the teenager was found dead at his home in Gohana town in Sonepat district, though the boy's family approached the police alleging that he died while in police custody.

Some members of the 'Gadia lohar' (ironsmiths) community had yesterday approached the Sonepat police charging the boy with the theft of a pigeon and demanded appropriate action against him, Superintendent of Police, Sonepat, Abhishek Garg said.

However, the SP said the boy's family has alleged that the teenager had been brought to the police station at Gohana by the 'Lohars' and that he died while in police custody.

Meanwhile, the boy's family today clashed with the police in Gohana and placed the body on the road demanding action against the "erring cops".

Heavy police had been deployed in the area to control the situation.

"According to the preliminary investigations in the case, the boy was found dead at his home today. There was a mark around his neck. A post-mortem examination is underway and once its report comes, we can arrive at any conclusion how he died," Garg said over phone.

Responding to the allegations that he died in police custody, he said, "we have registered a case and will add appropriate Sections after the post-mortem report comes. As far as his family's allegations are concerned, we will take appropriate action if any such thing is found true during our investigations".