Three police personnel have been suspended with immediate effect following the custodial death of 55-year-old Purney Darjee at Singtam Police Station. A judicial inquiry has been ordered by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Gangtok, to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Darjee, who had been arrested under the Sikkim Anti Drugs Act (SADA) in connection with an alleged drug peddling case, was under police remand at the time of his death.
According to police, the incident occurred on the morning of July 29. Preliminary findings suggest that Darjee allegedly died by suicide after using a strip torn from a blanket to hang himself inside the police station premises.
In response to the incident, Sikkim Police has suspended three personnel pending the outcome of the investigation. Authorities stated that, in accordance with mandatory procedures governing custodial deaths, a judicial inquiry has been initiated by the CJM, Gangtok.
The exact cause of death and the sequence of events leading to the incident will be determined through the ongoing inquiry.
