Man tortured, killed over theft suspicion in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur

A 33-year-old man died after allegedly being thrashed, tortured and being given electric shocks by his employer along with his six aides over suspicion of theft in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, police said on Thursday. All the accused have been booked, said police.

The victim identified as Shahjahanpur resident Shivam Jauhari,alias Anshul, used to work as a manager in a transport company, said police. Along with Jauhari, his three colleagues were subjected to similar assault , said police.

The incident came to light on Wednesday when a purported video showing Jauhari tied to a pole and wincing in pain as a man thrashes him with an iron rod was shared on social media platforms. HT has seen the video.

Confirming the incident, Shahjahanpur’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) S Anand said that the victim Shivam Jauhari had been working as a manager in Suri Transports for the past seven years. “The alleged torture of four employees took place at a hosiery shop office on Tuesday afternoon. So far, seven people, including the Suri Transports owner Bankim Suri and Kanhaiya hosiery shop owner Neeraj Gupta have been booked in the case.”

Jauhari along with three others were given electric shocks by putting live wires in swimming pool, hung upside down from the fifth floor of the building and thrashed with an iron rod as they were accused of stealing cloth bundles, the SSP said.

“The deceased’s post-mortem report confirmed that he was tortured. Multiple signs of injuries were mentioned in the report. Police are now verifying the authenticity of the video of the incident. Further action will be taken accordingly,” he added.

Based on a complaint filed by Jauhari’s father, Adhir, at Sadar police station on Wednesday, an FIR was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 143 (unlawful assembly)ofthe Indian Penal Code, said the police.

Meanwhile, the three other employees, Ram Niwas, Raghuveer and Sanju, who were also allegedly assaulted, have come forward as eyewitnesses to Jauhari’s thrashing of Shivam, said police.

“We were called to the office on Tuesday after it was found that a few cloth bundles were stolen from the hosiery shop’s godown. The hosiery shop owner and his aides, in presence of the transport agency owner, tortured us and forced us to accept that we stole the bundles,” said police quoting Ram Niwas.

Another victim Raghuveer alleged that the hosiery shop owner and his aides thrashed them after tying them to an iron pole. He said “they were hanged from the fifth floor of the building and given electric shocks by putting live wires in the swimming pool.”

Sadar police station in-charge Amit Pandey said that statements of all the employees will be verified before initiating action against the accused.