Three policemen suspended after undertrial found dead inside Sikkim police lock-up

Three police personnel have been suspended after a man in judicially sanctioned police custody was found dead inside the lock-up at Singtam Police Station in Sikkim’s Gangtok district on July 29, police said.

The deceased, identified as Purncy Darjee, had been in custody in connection with a case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Sikkim Anti-Drugs Act, 2006.

According to Gangtok District Police, Darjee had been remanded to police custody by a competent court from July 25 to July 29. He was found dead inside the police lock-up during the early hours of July 29.

Police said the deceased’s family was informed by a senior officer and was allowed to view the body.

To ensure transparency, the police said the scene was immediately secured and all proceedings, including the inquest, examination of the scene, collection of forensic evidence and seizure of custody-related records, were conducted in the presence of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gangtok, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Rabdang, family members, independent witnesses, forensic experts, Crime Branch/CID personnel and a medico-legal expert.

The entire process, from securing the scene to completing the inquest, was videographed and photographed, with the recordings preserved as part of the case records.

An inquest under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, has been conducted by the SDM, Rabdang, in the presence of the Chief Judicial Magistrate and other officials.

A judicial magisterial inquiry under Section 196(2) of the BNSS has also been ordered under the supervision of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gangtok. Police said the inquiry would be independent of the department.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the State Human Rights Commission have been informed about the incident. The post-mortem examination is being conducted by a board of doctors under full videography in accordance with NHRC guidelines and Supreme Court directions.

Police said the State Forensic Science Laboratory examined the scene, while the Crime Branch/CID carried out detailed photography, videography and crime-scene documentation. CCTV footage, electronic records, custody registers and lock-up documents have been seized and preserved.

An unnatural death case has been registered at Singtam Police Station, and the investigation is being conducted by an officer who was not involved in handling the original narcotics case.

A departmental inquiry has also been initiated. The three police personnel who were on night lock-up duty at the time of the incident have been placed under suspension pending the outcome of the departmental proceedings.

Gangtok District Police said it was committed to a fair, transparent and impartial inquiry and that any lapse, misconduct or criminal act established during the judicial inquiry, criminal investigation or departmental proceedings would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

The police appealed to the media and the public to respect the family’s privacy, avoid speculation about the cause or manner of death until the inquiry findings are available, and refrain from publishing the deceased’s photographs or personal details without the family’s consent.