Lucknow, 17 September 2024: CPI(ML) has demanded an independent agency probe into the death of Dalit youth Akash due to alleged custodial beating in Lakhimpur Kheri. The party has said that in the incident related to Fardhan police station, the family members of the deceased have accused the police of causing the death due to brutal beating during interrogation, so it should be investigated by another agency instead of the police itself.

CPI(ML) said that in Yogi Raj, police has become autocratic. Even though law and order is not being maintained, it is taking lives of people. Incidents of misbehavior with girls and women have increased wildly, the government and police are incapable of stopping it. But the state is ahead in custodial deaths. Dalit community is the easiest target. Be it Lakhimpur Kheri, or Ayodhya where a Dalit girl cleaning the Ram temple was gang-raped. The Chief Minister does not see the increasing incidents of rape, he only sees love jihad. In the recent meeting to review the law and order, the CM found love jihad to be the main problem. This is surprising.

CPI(ML) said that the complaint of the family members in the Lakhimpur incident should be taken into cognizance and a case of murder should be registered against the accused policemen. According to the news, the police brought Akash to the police station on September 5 for questioning in a theft case. The very next day he had to be admitted to the hospital, from where he was referred to Lucknow due to his critical condition. He died in a Lucknow hospital during treatment on September 14. He was buried on September 16 amid protests from the family members.