The police have initiated a departmental inquiry based on a complaint of the family of the deceased, Abu Siddique Halder, a resident of Ghatabkultala village.

Abu Halder was arrested a day after some gold jewellery was reportedly stolen from the house of his uncle Mohsin Halder on June 30, it is learnt. Mohsin was forced to file a theft complaint against Abu and that the police repeatedly beat Abu up in the lock-up at the Dholahat police station, the family has alleged.

The family claimed that Abu had injury marks all over his body when he was released on bail by the Kakdwip sub-divisional court where he was produced on July 4.

The police officials, however, claimed there were no injury marks on  Abu Halder’s body when Abu was produced in the court. He was first taken to a hospital in Mathurapur where he was discharged after being given first aid. But his health deteriorated again and he was taken to a nursing home where he died on Monday morning.

The deceased’s family members and relatives protested in front of the Dholahat police station on Tuesday and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed to control the crowd.