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Ajmer tense after custody death of NSUI leader

Kamla Bora in Jaipur

Ajmer city and neighbouring areas are tense, with stray incidents of violence, following the death of a student leader in police custody.

A bandh is being observed today in the city, which witnessed violence by students demanding the arrest of police personnel allegedly responsible for the death of the president of the local government college, Dharmendra Meghvanshi (25), in custody early yesterday.

Meghvanshi was picked up by the police on Tuesday night and taken to the Clock Tower police station. When the police took him to Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, doctors pronounced him dead.

As soon as news of the death spread, students went on the rampage at several places and stoned police parties, forcing the administration to rush in additional forces from Jaipur and nearby Kishengarh.

The administration has suspended seven police personnel, including police station in-charge Harsahaya Meena, who allegedly picked up the leader of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), which is the students' wing of the Congress.

The police have now registered a case of murder.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is in Mumbai, has ordered an inquiry and Special Superintendent of Police (CID-Crime Branch) M M Atre has been sent from Jaipur to Ajmer for the investigation.

Gehlot also spoke over the telephone to Ajmer Collector Usha Sharma and asked her to hold an inquiry into the incident and take action against the erring police personnel.

According to the police, Meghvanshi and his colleague Ashok Chaudhary were in a drunken state when taken into custody and a case under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act was registered against them, for driving in an intoxicated condition. The police say that Meghvanshi was injured when his scooter skidded and he succumbed to his injuries.

However, student leaders and the father of the deceased accused the police of torturing him in custody.

Several student leaders are reaching Ajmer today to exert pressure on the administration to take action against the policemen.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Ajmer and neighbouring towns.

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