Bhavnagar Police Beat Murder Accused During Reconstruction, Defend Action
Gujarat police thrashed a murder accused during a crime scene walkthrough in Bhavnagar, citing the brutality of the killing and damage to the force's reputation.
Police in Gujarat's Bhavnagar city publicly beat a man accused of murdering his live-in partner during a crime scene reconstruction on Saturday, an action officials defended as a necessary response to the case's brutality.
A video circulating on social media shows the accused, identified as Faizal Lakhani, tied with ropes and struck with a baton while being dragged at the spot where the assault occurred. Inspector D.P. Unadkat of the Neelam Bagh police station said the original attack, carried out in full public view, had severely damaged the police's image and eroded public confidence.
"The general public feels that law and order has collapsed," Unadkat said, adding that the flogging was required to send a strong message to criminals in what he termed a "rarest of rare case."
The victim, Kajal Baraiya, and Lakhani had lived together on a footpath for nearly seven years. Lakhani, who has a criminal record including robbery charges, allegedly attacked Baraiya and another man, Ravi, on Thursday after learning of her relationship with Ravi. Baraiya died from her injuries at Sir Takhtasinhji General Hospital. Lakhani was arrested on Friday.
The incident comes amid scrutiny of police conduct. In a separate suo motu case before the Gujarat High Court concerning public beatings in Surat, the court's amicus curiae noted a May 7 circular from the State Home Department. That circular explicitly bars officers from forcing accused persons to perform sit-ups, crawl, or endure kicks or stick beatings in public, warning of strict disciplinary action and accountability for senior officers.