New Delhi: Africans living in Bengaluru staged a protest on Monday after the custodial death of a Congalese national in the JC Nagar police station.
Twenty-seven-year-old Joel Shindani Malu, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was detained early on Monday on allegations of carrying narcotic substances, Indian Express reported. The police claim that a few hours later, Malu complained of chest pains and was taken to a private hospital, where he died of cardiac arrest.
“At approximately 5:10 am on Monday, in-charge police officials informed the police sub-inspector(PSI) that Joel was complaining of chest pain. PSI immediately acted on this information and shifted him to nearby Chiraayu Hospital for treatment at approx 5:30 AM. On preliminary medical examination, he was diagnosed with Bradycardia and administered several rounds of CPR and other life-saving interventions. At around 6:45 AM, he was declared dead due to suspected cardiac arrest,” DCP North Dharmender Kumar Meena was quoted as saying.
A case of unnatural death under section 176 of the CrPC has been filed.
As news of Malu’s death spread, members of an African association in Bengaluru gathered outside the police station. The protestors demanded a detailed inquiry into the death. The association also rejected the police claim that Malu’s visa had expired, and said he was a BBA student, The Hindu reported.
The protest on Monday turned violent, Indian Express reported, and the police broke it up with a lathi charge. No major injuries occurred.