Man dies in police custody, hartal in Kasargod assembly constituency

Following a complaint by officials of agriculture department that a group of persons were making the seed farm at Beerinthavayal their drinking base, a police team went to pick them up last evening, Kasargod SI, Ajith Kumar said.

On seeing the police, Sandeep, an autoricksaw driver, and four others attempted to flee the place.

However, Sandeep fell down while the others were caught.

But Sandeep collapsed while being taken to the police station along with others.

He was rushed to the general hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, the SI said.

Police suspect that Sandeep might have died due to cardiac arrest but his relatives and friends allege that he died because of police torture while being taken by the police vehicle.

The local BJP has called for a dawn to dusk hartal in Kasargod assembly constituency today to protest the death of Sandeep, a BMS worker.