Crime Branch to probe youth’s death in Vidyavihar

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch will investigate the death of 17-year-old Rajawadi resident Kalyan Salvi on Sunday after he was allegedly beaten up by constables Rashid Tadvi and Govind Lad of Tilak Nagar police station in a drunken state. Tadvi and Lad were booked for murder on Monday .

Crime Branch officers said they had begun the inquiry.

"Two people were arguing on the main road on Sunday night. Tadvi and Lad intervened," said Ramesh Gavit, senior inspector of Tilak Nagar police station.

However, he refused to comment on Tadvi and Lad's version of the events, stating that the case was being probed by the Crime Branch.

Kalyan's family members said he was standing at a paan shop at Supriya Hotel near his house with his friend Majnu (24) and cousin Krishna (15) at 10.30 pm on Sunday when the constables, who had allegedly been drinking at Natraj Bar and Restaurant nearby, approached them and began hitting them with sticks. Kalyan collapsed and died on the spot. Majnu and Krishna were not seriously hurt. "The policemen attacked us for no reason. When they saw that he was dead, they panicked and fled," Krishna alleged.

A preliminary postmortem at J J Hospital said Kalyan had contusions all over his body and under the scalp. However, the cause of death is yet to be ascertained. Theviscera and brain samples have been sent to Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory.

Residents claimed that drunken youths fight among themselves in the neighbourhood every evening and cops often intervene. "Kalyan and his friends had been drinking that night and got into an argument. A crowd gathered and the cops passing by tried to diffuse the situation," said Ismail, proprietor of Supriya Hotel.

A large police bandobast was organised on Tuesday for Kalyan's cremation. Some 100 cops were posted in the neighbourhood a day after a mob of 150 men gheraoed Tilak Nagar police station, demanding that Tadvi and Lad be arrested.

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