S. No.

Name of the deceased person

Information as gathered from media sources

District & State
( of the Incident)

Age & Occupation

Date of incident (Alleged Police Action)

Date of Death

Action Taken by the Police

Media Source

 (i) Deaths in Police Custody

1

Kalapala Krupakar

Kalapala Krupakar was arrested (along with five others) for allegedly running a gambling racket and was in police custody. Villagers alleged that he may have died due to police brutality. 

Police claim that he died due to heart attack after he complained of breathlessness. 

Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh

32 years old

28-Mar-2020

28-Mar-20

The police have said that they are conducting an enquiry  under Section 174 CrPC.
The Superintendent of Police of Krishna district, Ravindranath Babu has further said that if any offence has been committed by a police officer, action will be taken.

Times of India- Man held for gambling dies in police custody dated 29th March 2020

2

Munipillappa alias Muni Kulla

A Dalit man, Munipillappa was accused of stealing liquor from a bar in Niduvatti village, Hosakote-a Bangalore rural district. 

Police claim they took him to the location where he had hidden the liquor on Friday evening for the mahajar. When they went to the spot, police claimed that Munipillappa jumped into the dried-up well where he had hidden the liquor.

Munipillappa’s wife Dhanalakshmi has alleged that Circle Inspector Raghu, Sub Inspector Rakesh, and staff named Santhosh, Srinivas and Munirappa came to their house on Wednesday and questioned him. They took him with them again on Friday, assaulted him, and dumped his body in the well, she alleged in the complaint she lodged with the police. 

Bengaluru, Karnataka

50-year-old, Daily wage worker

7-Apr-20

10-Apr-20

A case of custodial death under Section 304 IPC has been registered. Six police personnel, including Inpector Raghu and SI Rakesh have been suspended and booked under the case.

Deputy Superintendent of Police has been instructed to conduct a probe. A report will also be submitted to the DG & IGP recommending a CID probe.

New Indian Express - Dalit woman alleges husband died in police custody dated 12th April 2020

The Hindu- Six police personnel booked for ‘custodial death’ dated 11th April 2020

3

Raju Velu Devendra

The kin of Raju Velu Devendra allege that he was beaten to death by the police. The kin of the victim allege that they were going to a relative’s place   at 1:00 am when police started chasing them. 

The police caught the victim   and told his family  he was being taken to Juhu police station. However at 6:00 am, the police informed the family  that the victim was lying at Nehru Nagar chowk.

 He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. His brother claimed he had injury marks when he took him to the hospital upon being informed by the police. He also claimed he  saw 8-9 policemen beating him.

Victim's mother said police even took away CCTV cameras  of the area to hide their crime

 Police have denied this and have said that the man was lynched when he was out to commit a robbery. .

Mumbai, Maharashtra

22 years old

30-Mar-20

30-Mar-20

Police probe claims  he was assaulted with iron rods by local residents when he went to commit a robbery. He died of the injuries. They have registered a case against eight people for murder and rioting, and two have surrendered. Post-mortem report is awaited. 

New Indian Express- Mumbai lockdown: Kin blame cops of beating 22-year-old to death, police deny dated 30th March 2020
 

Business Standard- Mumbai lockdown death: Cops book 8, kin say will approach HC dated 31st March 2020

 

4

Luvkush

Luvkush, a vegetable vendor died  two days after he was allegedly assaulted by a police Sub-Inspector (SI) in Aligarh. 

Family members of Luvkush alleged that around 9 am on Monday, a policeman posted in Jalalpur Police Chowki under Delhi Gate Police station hit Luv with a stick because he was late in clearing his stall. He later experienced  pain in his back and chest as his spinal cord was hit. 

He was treated in a government hospital and was brought home the following day. On Wednesday morning his condition worsened and he died.

The family members, along with nearly 50 local residents, blocked the lane outside the police booth for a few hours

Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

18 year old Vegetable Vendor

19- April-20 / 20-April-20

22-Apr-20

Aligarh Superintendent of Police, City, Abhishek said : "We have asked the family to give us a written complaint letter, with any evidence they have and we will take action accordingly. 

The body has been sent for post mortem and once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain the cause of death and the facts of the case can be highlighted.” 

Business Standard: Death of Vegetable Vendor in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh dated 23rd April 2020

Indian Express: Aligarh: Vegetable vendor dies after ‘assault’ by cop dated 23rd April 2020

5

Banshi Kushwaha

A 50-year-old Madhya Pradesh farmer, who was allegedly beaten by the Jabalpur police last week for violating the lockdown, died on Monday. 

The alleged incident took place on April 16 when the farmer - Banshi Kushwaha- was returning home after working at his field. In a video made before his death, the farmer had alleged that he was stopped by the police and asked about a gambling den operating in the area.

The farmer can be heard in the video saying he had gone out looking for his cow.

"When I denied having knowledge about the gambling den, they (cops) started beating me heavily. They beat me with lathis after which I fell unconscious and had to be carried home by neighbours," he had said.

In a statement, the then Jabalpur Superintendent of Police  Amit Singh said the policemen thrashed the farmer after they had gone to Tilhari following information regarding some gambling there. He added Kushwaha was unnecessarily beaten despite “my repeated instructions in the past that nobody be subjected to beating and only legal action should be taken”. He added their act “sullied the image of the police department. Hence, they are hereby suspended forthwith”.

A doctor at Jabalpur’s City Hospital, where the farmer was admitted, who did not want to be named, said there were injury marks on his body. “There appeared to be internal injuries too.”

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

50-year-old Farmer

16-April-20

20-Apr-20

Six policemen have been suspended. 

City police chief Amit Kumar was transferred. 
Senior police officer has said that autopsy report is awaited and if it establishes that the injuries unleashed by the cops caused the death, then criminal case will be registered against them

Jabalpur collector Bharat Yadav said he has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. “A sub-divisional magistrate has been deputed to conduct the inquiry into the incident,”

HindustanTimes - Farmer beaten by police for violating curbs dies in MP dated 21st April 2020

India Today- MP Lockdown: Farmer allegedly hit by cops dies, 6 suspended dated 20th April 2020

NDTV - Death of 50 Year Old Madhya Pradesh Farmer dated 20th April 2020

6

Mohammad Rizwan

A 22 year old boy, Mohammad Rizwan, whom policemen allegedly beat up while he was trying to buy food, died in a hospital three days later.

Villagers at Chhajjapur in Ambedkar Nagar alleged the police had selectively targeted a hungry Rizwan refusing to let him buy biscuits citing the lockdown restrictions.

There were other customers at the grocery store whom the police did not stop, claimed a villager, Munna, who said he was an uncle of Rizwan. “Eyewitnesses said the cops beat Rizwan with batons and rifle butts. Some of them later brought him home,” said the Uncle.

 According to the post mortem report, there are no marks of lathi injuries on his body. According to the autopsy report, there was an infection in Rizwan’s lungs and heart, SP Amdedkarnagar, Mr. Priyadarshi said. “He had also sustained injuries from a fall from a motorcycle, which caused his death,”

The police also released a video of a medical practitioner, claiming to be a family doctor of the deceased. The doctor said that when Rizwan came to him for treatment, his family did not mention any police beating. “His aunt told me that he was injured after falling from a motorcycle,” said Abdul Hakim, who added Rizwan had a wound on the right thigh and swelling on the left leg.

Mr. Mohammad Israil (Mohd Rizwan's father) dismissed the police claim that Rizwan was injured in an accident. “Neither do we have a ‘gadi’ [motorcycle], nor did he know how to ride it.
Mr Israil said that Rizwan had given a written statement that he was beaten up by the police.

.

Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

22 year old Daily Wager

15-April-20 (Around 4 pm)

18-Apr-20

Ambedkar Nagar SP Alok Priyadarshi said that going by the evidence collected so far, there was nothing to show that Rizwan was assaulted by the police with batons.

“The post-mortem report does not show any injury by lathi [a baton] anywhere on his body,” he told reporters. The police searched for CCTV footage and considered the statements of a local doctor and the community health centre doctor.

According to the autopsy report, there was an infection in Rizwan’s lungs and heart, Mr. Priyadarshi said. “He had also sustained injuries from a fall from a motorcycle, which caused his death,” he said.

The Telegraph - ‘Beaten’ for stepping out for biscuits, UP teen dies dated 19th April 2020

Quint - ‘Body Has No Marks’: Cops Deny Killing UP Boy Who Went to Buy Food dated 20th April 2020

The Hindu- U.P. police say youth didn’t die of beating dated 19th April 2020

Outlook- UP Youth Dies After Allegedly Being Beaten Up By Cops For Stepping Out To Buy Biscuits dated 19th April 2020

7

Shaikh Mohammed Ghouse

Mohammed Ghouse, a resident of Venkatapati Colony in Sattenapalli, left his home  in the morning to reportedly purchase medicines and was returning home around 8.40 am when police stopped him.

According to Ghouse's family, the police beat up Ghouse for going  out without any reason. Ghouse, a heart patient, collapsed there itself and was shifted to a private hospital where he was declared dead. 

 While his father, Md Adeem told reporters that the police beat his son, Andhra Pradesh Police tweeted "The written complaint by the deceased's father mentioned no allegations against police. A case has been registered and is being investigated. Parallelly DGP has ordered departmental enquiry also." 

Police further said that the deceased suffered from cyanotic congenital heart disease since childhood and was operated and implanted with stents. Moreover, no physical injuries have been found on the body and the post mortem conducted by a team of doctors was video graphed.

Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

35 year old, a timber depot owner

20-Apr-20

20-Apr-20

A magisterial enquiry has been sought and the Sattenapalli town SI Ramesh Babu has been suspended pending the inquiry. 

The police have also assured family members of compensation.

Deccan Chronicle - Andhra man dies after alleged police assault, cop suspended dated 21st April 2020

Mumbai Mirror- Andhra Pradesh: Youth dies after beaten by cops in Sattenapalli dated 20th April 2020

The New Indian Express- COVID-19 lockdown: Tension in Andhra Pradesh's Sattenapalli after man dies of 'police beating' dated 20th April 2020

Sattenapalli Incident- AP Police Clarify Man Had Congenital Heart Problem dated 21st April 2020

8

Sagir Jamil Khan

Sagir Jamil Khan's roommate claimed that after returning home on the night of 18th April, Khan told him that while he was driving a handcart to deliver a refrigerator in Null Bazar locality, the police caught hold of him at Phoolwali Galli in Dongri and assaulted  him on the head, hand and back.

Later, while having dinner, Khan suddenly collapsed. He was then rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead, his roommate told reporters.

Sangram Singh Nishandar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 1, told PTI that Khan’s medical report showed the cause of death as 'heart enlargement', and there was no external or internal injury on the body.

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Labourer

18-Arpil-20

18-Arpil-20

The JJ Marg Police have registered it as a case of accidental death

The New Indian Express- Mumbai labourer dies after alleged thrashing by Police for violating lockdown rules, cops deny claim dated 19th April 2020

NDTV- Death of a labourer in Mumbai dated 19th April 2020

9

Tibu Meda

.

 

The deceased, Tibu Meda, of Holimal village in Khargone district, had gone with his son-in-law Sanjay Meda to Gujari village in the neighbouring Dhar district as the shop in his village had run out of supplies.

“The police came in four or five vehicles, and started beating us with batons without provocation,” said Mr. Sanjay Meda. “We ran in different directions. I received injuries on my legs.”

The local legislator Panchilal Meda said “The dead body of the deceased bore signs of canes which suggest that he was beaten up by police and it caused his death. Strict action should be taken against guilty police personnel,” 

Denying the allegation, Dhar Collector Shrikant Banoth told The Hindu the elderly man had died due to a cardiac arrest on seeing the police approach them with blaring sirens. “The postmortem report has revealed he died of cardiac arrest and there were no bruises on the body,” he claimed.

The administration had recorded statements of witnesses, he added. “The police had gone there to impose social distancing norms in view of the lockdown. They had received a complaint of crowding in the market area. The man may have died in shock as the police came in vehicles sounding sirens.”

Dhar, Madhya Pradesh

65 year old

4-Apr-20

4-Apr-20

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), said the tribal man’s family has been given immediate financial assistance of Rs 20,000.

The Hindu- Coronavirus lockdown | Adivasi man dies after police thrash villagers outside shop in Madhya Pradesh dated 4th April 2020
 

Hindustan Times - Death of 65 Year Old Tribal Man in Madhya Pradesh dated 5th April 2020

10

A. Abdul Rahim

A police patrol vehicle found a crowd in front of a rice shop. As the people had not maintained personal distancing, the police had asked them not to unnecessarily form a crowd.
Rahim owned a meat shop , next to the ration shop. Deputy Superintendent of Police, C. Nallu said, “Though the shop was not functional today, Rahim and his son-in-law Shahjahan were sitting outside the shop, and our policemen had objected to this,”.
An argument broke out between police and the duo as the police  were regulating the crowd. According to the man’s family members, the police, during the altercation, assaulted Abdul Rahim, who fell unconscious and later died.

He was taken to a clinic, from where he was referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital. He died on the way to the hospital in a car. 

Locals and relatives of the man staged a dharna in Karuppayurani. The family members, after taking the body to a private hospital, later gave in writing that the death was due to natural causes and sought no action on this issue, the DSP said.

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

75 year old, owned a meat shop

6-Apr-20

6-Apr-20

The police said that post-mortem report is awaited, if it suggests he died due to any assault, an FIR will be registered and legal action will be taken against police personnel. 

The Hindu- Residents protest death of man near Madurai dated 6th April 2020

The New Indian Express - 75-year-old ‘assaulted’ for flouting curfew, dies dated 7th April 2020

Times of India- Kin stage protest, allege police harassment dated 7th April 2020

11

Lal Swami

32-year-old, Lal Swami went out to buy milk during the lockdown on when he was beaten up by the police. His wife said "Around 7pm on Wednesday, cops resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowds roaming on the road. My husband was hit with a police baton. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead."

According to officials,  Lal Swami died after suffering a cardiac arrest as  he was already suffering from heart ailments. The police also  allege that the victim died of heart ailments, denying his family’s claims.

Howrah, West Bengal

32 year old

25-Mar-20

25-Mar-20

Howrah Police Commissioner Kunal Aggarwal said the police has taken strong action against what they perceive as media misreporting. "I have spoken to editors of the media houses and they apologised for this wrong information. They have promised to take off the stories,” he said.

India Today- Bengal man's family says he died of police beating, police say he had heart ailment dated 26th March 2020

Times of India - West Bengal: Probe sought into ‘lathicharge death’ in Howrah dated 27th March 2020

News18- Post-mortem Report Says Man Who Violated Howrah Lockdown Died of Cardiac Arrest, Cops Deny Assault dated 26th March 2020

12

Veerabhadraiah 

21-year-old, Veerabhadraiah allegedly died while fleeing from the police, who were trying to enforce the  lockdown, at Pedda Harivanam village in Adoni mandal

Veerabhadraiah and others reportedly gathered at the village square at night to discuss the day’s events, when two Constables from the Isvi police station arrived to ensure people were staying indoors. On seeing the cops, the villagers ran helter-skelter, and later complained they were chased by the lathi-wielding policemen. They said the police roughed up Veerabhadraiah, and he fell and died while trying to flee.

Sub-Inspector Asha Latha said that the youth may have been inebriated, and Veerabhadraiah died after falling on a stone on the uneven road. 

Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh

21 years old, agricultural labourer

26-Mar-20

26-Mar-20

A case has been registered and the body was sent to Adoni Area Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The New Indian Express- COVID-19 lockdown: Andhra youth dies after 'falling on stone' while trying to flee from police dated 27th March 2020

13

Roshan Lal

Roshan Lal committed suicide in Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh after allegedly being beaten up by the police  for violating the quarantine rules.

Due to the lockdown, Roshan  arrived at his village, Faria Pipariya, from Gurgaon on 29 March, and the village authorities placed him under a quarantine at a government primary school. According to Roshan’s family members, two days later, Anoop Kumar Singh, a police Constable, saw the 22-year-old in a public place and beat him up. Humiliated by this treatment, his family members said, Roshan went to his family’s farm that night and hung himself from a tree.

Before committing suicide, Roshan Lal recorded three audio clips.  In the audios, Roshan Lal blames a local policeman  for thrashing him for violating quarantine guidelines.

Speaking to India Today TV, his sister-in-law Sangeeta said, "There was no food at home and this is why Roshan came out from the school where he was kept in quarantine and went to buy wheat. He was brutally beaten up by a local cop. He was very upset after being beaten by the policeman."

In the audio clips, Roshan can be heard saying that those who don't believe him must see his pants which, he said, "only has blood" because he was "brutally thrashed by a cop for breaking the quarantine"..

Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh

22 year old electrician

31-Mar-20

31-Mar-20

District Magistrate Shailendra Pratap Singh, in a statement, said, "We are investigating the matter. The post-mortem report also rules out any external injury due to thrashing. It is clear that the youth committed suicide but there is no evidence to substantiate allegations against a cop. However, he (the Constable) has been attached to the police line and a DSP level officer has been directed to conduct a fair probe. Action will be taken on the basis of his report”.

Roshan's brother Bankey Lal claimed that the police had refused to lodge an FIR against the Constable.

.

India Today - UP: Migrant worker commits suicide after being thrashed by cop for violating quarantine dated 4th April 2020

The Wire- UP: 22-Year-Old Dies by Suicide After Being Thrashed by Cop for Violating Quarantine dated 3rd April 2020

The Caravan- Assaulted by a police constable, Dalit youth in quarantine killed himself: Family dated 5th April 2020

14

Peddada Srinivas Rao

P. S. Rao , who rode about 300km on his motorcycle  in a bid to reach home due to the coronavirus lockdown, committed suicide midway, after the police in Guntur district seized his vehicle and arrested him.

The youth recorded a video message and shared it with his friends and relatives before committing suicide. He alleged police brutality and held the Bapatla police responsible for his untimely death. "They beat me up and left me here. I didn’t do anything wrong. The police officers are responsible for my death,” Rao said in his selfie video.

He hanged himself from a tree after his release from the police lock-up. According to the selfie video, he was arrested around 12 pm on 1st April. He sent the video to his friend, Balaji the same night. Another media report suggests that he sent the video the next day. He was found dead by the locals in the morning on 2nd April.

Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh

22-year-old, Worked in a private company

1-Apr-20

 2-Apr-20

AP DGP Damodar Gautam Sawang has stated that an inquiry has been ordered.

The police is conducting inquiry  under Section 174 CrPC

Times of India- Andhra Pradesh youth ends life, blames it on police brutality dated 3rd April 2020

Deccan Chronicle - AP youth commits suicide accusing police for thrashing him during lockdown dated 3rd April 2020

New Indian Express- Inquiry into Tirupati man’s death on: IGP dated 4th April 2020

15

Bhupinder Singh

Patiala, Punjab

45 year old, Driver

16-Apr-20

16-Apr-20

The police said that post mortem of the deceased was underway and the dead body will be handed over to the family after completing all formalities

Times of India - Man commits suicide, family allege police torture while moving out to buy milk dated 17th April 2020