By IANS,
Shimla : The Himachal Pradesh High Court has transferred the investigation into the death of a man due to electrocution from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The division bench of Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Sanjay Karol, in an order made available Wednesday, directed the CBI to conduct a probe on priority basis.
Sucha Singh, 30, was electrocuted near Baddi town in Solan district May 31 while trying to escape from policemen chasing him.
The order, delivered last week, came on the petition of Sucha Singh’s widow Rani. She said that she had no faith in the state police.
The petitioner alleged that police assaulted the victim, a resident of Kalka in Haryana, for not wearing a helmet while riding a two-wheeler.
He suffered burns while trying to escape the policemen. He fell on high-power transmission line. He was admitted to a hospital in Chandigarh, where he died of his injuries June 12.
“No action was taken against the erring (police) officials from May 31 to June 12 even though the father of the victim brought the matter to police May 31…mo police official came to record the statement,” said the petition.
Police said they had no objection if the case was transferred to the CBI.
“Though it appeared that police have taken up the investigation with required seriousness, in view of the fact that the accused in the case are officers of the state, it would be appropriate to entrust the investigation to an independent agency,” the bench said.
Violence erupted in Baddi after Sucha Singh’s death.
A large number of protesters, carrying his body, gathered in front of the police station June 13. Two police vehicles were set afire and six police personnel were injured in a clash with the protesters.