10 Police Personnel Recommended for Action in Custody Death Case

Kathmandu. 10 police personnel including a Superintendent of Police (SP) and police constables have been recommended for action in the case of the death of an inmate in the custody of Ilaka Police Office Khurkot, Sindhuli.

The investigation committee led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Dinesh Kumar Acharya, formed to investigate the death of 23-year-old Shrikrishna BK, a resident of Jumalidanda, Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-3, Sindhuli, who was in custody, has recommended them for action.

The investigation committee has recommended that one of the guilty police personnel be given a warning, two be given attention, and five be separated from their responsibilities with a strict warning. Similarly, the committee has recommended that one of the remaining be given a reprimand and another be demoted in grade.

In addition, the committee has suggested to the government and police administration to prioritize the life security of the person in custody and to fully implement and ensure the implementation of the Custody Management Work Directive, 2081. Emphasizing the need to ensure regular monitoring by not engaging in other work during duty hours, the committee stressed the mandatory implementation of a system to immediately report any unusual activity inside the custody.

The committee has specifically suggested ensuring the direct supervision and active involvement of the office chief in decisions related to fact-finding, coordination with parties and family members, and investigation in cases involving inter-caste relationships, involvement of minors, and potential social tensions.

Similarly, the committee has asked the District Police Chief to make the regular monitoring, inspection, and supervision of sensitive issues like custody management more effective. While alerting the office responsible for filing cases to further strengthen the necessary human resource management, incident and information management, and coordination, the committee has also given important suggestions to implement periodic inspections, regular evaluation of custody conditions, and improvement-oriented action plans in every police unit.