Govt orders two separate inquiries into alleged custodial death in Billawar

JAMMU, Feb 06: The government has initiated two separate inquiries into the alleged custodial death of a Gujjar youth in Kathua district to determine the exact cause of his death.
Makhan Din, a resident of Billawar in Kathua district, reportedly died in police custody on Tuesday evening.
Kathua District Magistrate (DC) Dr. Rakesh Minhas has ordered a magisterial probe into the death of Makhan Din. The District Magistrate has appointed Tehsildar Lohai Malhar, Anil Kumar, as the Inquiry Officer to lead the investigation.
The Police, however, have claimed that Din died by suicide after ingesting insecticide at his home on Tuesday evening.
To establish the precise cause of death, the Tehsildar has been instructed to gather statements from all relevant persons and submit a detailed report within five days.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched their own inquiry into the alleged custodial death. The police have appointed DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, to head a Fact Finding Committee. The committee has been tasked with determining the circumstances surrounding the youth’s death and submitting its report within 10 days.