Five policemen were suspended for dereliction of duty in Agra on Saturday following the death of three undertrials in the District Jail. The three deceased – a man and his two sons -- were allegedly poisoned by their relatives when they had gone for a hearing at an Agra court on Friday. The five cops had accompanied the undertrials.
The deceased were locked in a property dispute with their close relatives. While one undertrial died late on Friday night, two others died on Saturday.
A spokesman of the Director General of Police office here said that the three undertrials, Dinesh Chandra Soni, 55 years, and his two sons -- Yogesh (26) and Vishal (24) -- were taken from the District Jail to the Sessions Court for a hearing on Friday.
During their stay in the court for the hearing, Dinesh Chandra brother, Suresh Chandra Soni, his three sons -- Himanshu, Ramesh and Dhiraj -- and others, who formed the opposite party, tried to broker peace through mutual agreement. They also ensured their release from jail, the spokesman said.
He said during the discussions the opposite party offered “puri-sabzi” to Dinesh and his two sons, which they ate.
On their return to the jail they started vomiting and soon their condition deteriorated. The police spokesman added the three died in the District Jail. While Vishal died on Friday night, Dinesh and Yogesh son died on Saturday.
It is alleged that the “puri-sabzi” offered to the deceased was laced with some poisonous substance. A case has been registered against 12 persons , including the deceased’s brother.
