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by IANS |
Agra, Oct 20 (IANS) The custodial death of a safai karmachari (sanitation worker) from the Valmiki community, accused of robbing Rs 25 lakh from the 'Maal Khana' (strongroom) of the Jagdishpura police station in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, has created a huge political controversy on Valmiki Jayanti on Wednesday.
The Valmiki community has decided to boycott all celebrations till a financial compensation of Rs two crore is paid to the family of the deceased victim.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including the party's General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party's Uttar Pradesh President Ajay Kumar Lallu, among others, were set to visit the family of the deceased to express solidarity with the Valmiki community.
The accused Arun was arrested on Tuesday. As he was being taken to his home by the police for recovering the looted cash, his condition deteriorated after which he died on his way to the hospital. The family members of the victim in the FIR said he succumbed to injuries sustained during interrogation.
Agra Senior Superintendent of Police, Muniraj said that the accused had confessed that the stolen money was kept at his house.
An investigation is on and action would be taken if anyone is found guilty, the police added.
The body is being kept in the post-mortem ward at the S.N. Medical College while additional police personnel have been deployed in the Jagdishpura police station area.
The Samajwadi Party and the Congress have demanded a thorough probe into the case and compensation to the deceased's family.
Latest reports say that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been stopped on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway where she sat on a 'dharna' (protest) with other Congress leaders.
