BHOPAL: A 21-year-old youth, Udit Gayaki, the brother-in-law of a DSP, died in the early hours of Friday after allegedly being beaten by two on-duty policemen while partying with friends in a parking area beside a garden in Indrapuri, Piplani. The incident has sparked concerns over police brutality and abuse of power. How it happenedUdit had recently returned from Bengaluru to collect his college documents. On Thursday, after receiving his degree, he celebrated with six friends, including his friend Akshat, in Indrapuri around 11 pm, sharing a beer to mark his graduation.Around 1.30 am on Friday, two on-duty constables, Santosh Bamnia and Saurabh Arya, noticed the group in the parked car. The officers allegedly abused the youths. Udit stepped out and ran into a nearby lane, but the policemen chased him.Between 1.30 and 1.45 am, Udit was beaten with batons by the constables while his friends tried to intervene. The officers reportedly demanded Rs 10,000 to “settle” the matter related to public drinking, which the friends attempted to negotiate down to Rs 1,000–2,000.After the assault, Udit complained of uneasiness and vomiting multiple times, and travelled with a friend to meet a police acquaintance at Anand Nagar police outpost.At around 4.00 am, Udit collapsed at the outpost. He was first taken to a private hospital and later rushed to AIIMS Bhopal, where doctors declared him dead.In response, senior police officials suspended both constables on Friday morning. A post-mortem report conducted by a panel at AIIMS cited pancreatic haemorrhage as the cause of death. Police are now seeking legal opinion to determine whether the accused should be charged with murder or culpable homicide not amounting to murder.Udit was celebrating his graduation, making the loss even more tragic for his family. The case has drawn widespread attention and raised concerns over police misconduct and abuse of authority in the city.
About the Author
