Entrusted to bring criminals to book, the men in khaki are now themselves carrying reward for their arrest. This sensational fact came to light in Agra when the district police chief announced a reward of Rs 20,000 on the arrest of a sub-inspector posted at Sikandra who absconded after being named in a custodial death.

Earlier, the entire staff of Sikandara police station was booked for murder of a 32-year-old man, who reportedly died in police custody after being tortured in front of his 55-year-old mother. An inspector and two sub-inspectors were also suspended in the case.

“A reward of Rs 20,000 each on sub-inspector Anuj Sirohi and another accused, Anshul Pratap, has been announced for anyone facilitating their arrest,” informed Senior Superintendent of Police of Agra, Amit Pathak.

He said that the sub-inspector had submitted his surrender application last week but did not appear in court and hence a reward was announced for his arrest.

Hailing from Bulandshahr, Sirohi was selected as a sub-inspector three years back.

On November 22, Hemant Kumar alias Raju Gupta was picked up by the police from his rented house in Narendra Enclave on Gailana Road after being charged by his neighbour of stealing jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh.

Raju’s mother, Reenu Lata, said that her son was mentally retarded and worked as a help at Anshul’s chemist shop. She added that cops called her to the police station and thrashed her son in front of her, despite repeated pleas for mercy.

Reenu claimed that she was dropped home in the evening but her son was not released and at 9 pm, she was informed by the cops that Raju was dead.

Her husband, Om Prakash Gupta, a bank manager with SBI, died in 2001. The mother and son lived in a rented house while Reenu’s two married daughters live in Vrindavan and Delhi.

After local residents staged a protest, SSP Amit Pathak got an autopsy conducted by a panel of doctors at SN Medical College hospital that ascribed myocardial infarction (heart attack) as the cause of Raju’s death. Beside, there were injuries on his shoulder, arms and legs.

The SSP said that three cops, including Inspector Rishipal, sub-inspectors Anuj Sirohi and Tejveer Singh of Sikandra police station were suspended and an FIR was lodged against all those deployed at the police station.

Besides, two of the victim’s neighbours, Anshul Pratap Singh and Vivek, were also booked in the case. While Vivek was arrested later, Anshul and sub-inspector Anuj Sirohi have been absconding.