Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Friday demanded that policemen involved in the custodial death of a 25-year-old man in state capital Bhopal be charged with murder and the probe be handed over to the CBI.
Shivan Mishra had died in custody on June 19, hours after he was picked up by Bairagarh police for driving his sports utility vehicle into a BRTS corridor railing.
Police have maintained that Mishra died of a heart attack, though authorities placed five personnel, including the Bairagarh station in charge, under suspension.
Speaking at a sit-in protest at Bharat Mata Square, Chouhan said, "The way police have brutally killed the young man in custody...it is not a simple incident, but murder. This has happened in the state capital where the chief minister, other ministers and top police brass including director general of police (DGP) have offices."
"Strict action should be taken against such murderers. The CBI should probe the incident," he said.
Chouhan said Mishra's family must be given financial assistance and his sister should be given a government job.
Mishra's parents and sister, besides other relatives, were present at the protest venue.
Chouhan, along with Mishra's kin, met Governor Anandiben Patel and handed a memorandum demanding a CBI probe.
The ruling Congress, meanwhile, accused the BJP of politicising the issue.
"When Chouhan was chief minister, 384 custodial deaths took place between 2016-2018, in just three years. During that period, how many places did Chouhan visit to sympathise with the victims and gave government jobs to their kin," state Congress media cell chairperson Shobha Oza told reporters.
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