Judicial Inquiry Ordered Into Telangana Woman's Custodial Death

Telangana Woman Custodial Death: Telangana High Court directed the Judicial First Class Magistrate on Thursday to conduct a judicial inquiry into the alleged custodial death of a Dalit woman named Mariamma.

The bench also told the magistrate to perform a second autopsy on the deceased woman's body if need be. The body was earlier handed over to the woman's family. The woman was found dead in Addagudur Police Station under Rachakonda commissionerate jurisdiction. The court's order came after a PIL was filed in connection with the woman's death.

In case the magistrate decides to conduct second autopsy of the woman's body, he can do under the Criminal Procedure Code sub-section 1 of section 174. The post-mortem should be done as early as possible, the court said. The results of the autopsy can be sent to high court in a sealed cover. Aler Magistrate was inform of this immediately by High Court Registry.

The judicial inquiry will have to done within a week, the bench directed the magistrate. The Magistrate has been asked to inform the deceased woman's family before going forward with the inquiry. Advocate General B.S Prasad argued in front of the bench that all guidelines of the Human Rights Commission were followed in the case and the woman's body was handed over to her daughter. He also informed the court that the police officers connected with the woman's death were already suspended and an enquiry was initiated on the case led by Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO).

However, the court said that the enquiry initiated by the police will not suffice as the law mandates a judicial inquiry in the matter.

Telangana Woman Custodial Death: What was the case about ?

A Dalit woman named Mariamma was working a house help at the local priest's house in Govindpuram village. The priest filed a police complaint about stealing of two lakh rupees from his house. The police found Mariamma as the accused and arrested her on June 17. She was found dead on June 18 evening. She was allegedly beaten to death by police. However the police claimed that the woman died of cardiac arrest.

The PIL in connection with Mariamma's death by filed by People’s Union of Civil Liberties general secretary Jaya Vindhyala. She alleged that cause of Mariamma's death on June 18 was police brutality. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for June 28.