Doctors conduct 2nd autopsy on Patidar man's body

A panel of doctors today conducted second post-mortem on the body of 28-year-old Ketan Patel, who had died in Mehsana under mysterious circumstances earlier this week during his judicial custody.

This fresh post mortem (PM) was conducted at Mehsana Civil Hospital after the chief judicial magistrate, who was probing the case, directed the authorities to conduct the post mortem as Ketan's kin were not satisfied with the first post mortem conducted on June 7.

The first post-mortem report said that there were at least 39 injury marks on Ketan's body.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said, "As demanded by Ketan's family members and other agitators, the magistrate has ordered a fresh post mortem, which was done today at Mehsana civil hospital."
 

Yesterday, a 'bandh' had been observed in several parts of north Gujarat, including in Mehsana, over his death.

Despite an assurance of fair probe given by the Gujarat government, Ketan's kin, who have alleged custodial torture by police, refused to take his body, which is still kept in the civil hospital.

Ketan's father Mahendra Patel had threatened to sit outside the Mehsana civil hospital until a case was registered against the policemen, "who tortured and killed" his son.

According to Nitin Patel, Congress leaders, particularly Babu Mangukiya, was instigating Mahendra Patel to take this stand.

"Congress is politicising the issue for their benefit only. Mangukiya, who is also a senior advocate, is deliberately misguiding Ketan's kin. Though the government has accepted his demand to lodge an FIR in this case, neither he nor Ketan's kin came forward to give a complaint" said Patel.

State Congress incharge, Ashok Gehlot will visit Mehsana tomorrow and meet Ketan's family members.

Ketan, a resident of Balol village near Mehsana, was in judicial custody at Mehsana Sub-Jail since June 4 in a theft case. He died at the civil hospital on the night of June 5 within hours of admission.

Police had said that Ketan was arrested on June 3 after a shop owner in Balol village lodged a complaint stating that he stole around Rs 5,000 from his shop.

Though police denied it was a case of custodial death, local Patel leaders and Ketan's family members alleged that he died due to police torture when he was in their custody before being sent to jail by the court on June 4.