A Life Lost in Custody: Zirakpur Snatching Accused Dies Amidst Allegations of Police Torture

A somber cloud has descended upon Zirakpur following the tragic death of a young man in police custody, sparking immediate and deeply troubling questions. Jagjit Singh, a 22-year-old accused in a snatching case, passed away Saturday night, just a day after his arrest. While police authorities quickly attributed his demise to a sudden heart attack, his distraught family has vehemently rejected this claim, alleging severe torture at the hands of the police.

Jagjit had been taken into custody on Friday, December 1st, by the Zirakpur police. He stood accused, along with another individual who remains at large, of snatching a mobile phone from a woman in the Peer Muchalla area. It appears the police had managed to trace him through call details, leading to his swift apprehension. He was also reportedly implicated in a couple of other snatching incidents, painting a picture of a young man entangled in petty crime.

According to the police version of events, Singh began complaining of chest pains late Saturday night while in the lock-up. Immediately, they say, he was rushed to the civil hospital in Dera Bassi. However, his condition reportedly worsened, necessitating a transfer to GMCH-32 in Chandigarh. It was there, sadly, that medical professionals pronounced him 'brought dead,' closing the chapter on his life with a medical declaration of a cardiac arrest.

Yet, this narrative is vehemently contested by Jagjit’s family. They are, understandably, consumed by grief and anger. His relatives insist that Jagjit was in perfect health prior to his arrest, with absolutely no history of heart ailments or any serious medical conditions for that matter. 'This is police brutality,' one family member reportedly cried out, their voices choked with emotion. 'They tortured him to death. We want justice for our son!'

Given the gravity of a death in custody, the wheels of official protocol have, at least, begun to turn. A judicial inquiry has been promptly ordered – a mandatory step, you see, in such sensitive cases – to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding Jagjit’s demise. Furthermore, a panel of doctors was tasked with conducting his post-mortem examination, the findings of which will undoubtedly be crucial in shedding light on the true cause of death. An FIR has also been registered under Section 176 of the CrPC, underscoring the serious nature of the ongoing investigation.

This deeply unsettling incident, unfortunately, isn't an isolated one. It echoes a similar tragic event in Tarn Taran just months prior, marking it as the second custodial death in Punjab in recent times. Such occurrences inevitably cast a long shadow over police accountability and the treatment of detainees. As the investigations unfold, the community, and indeed the entire state, waits with bated breath for answers – for transparency, for justice, and for a clear understanding of what truly transpired within the confines of the Zirakpur police station.