Six police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, have been suspended after 25-year-old Dilshad Ansari died while in police custody in Bihar’s West Champaran district. The death has sparked allegations of police assault, which his family has demanded be investigated.
Ansari was arrested in connection with a case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Bettiah police announced the suspensions on Monday, saying the action was taken following the incident.
The suspended personnel have been identified as sub-inspectors Ravi Shankar Kumar and Arun Kumar, along with constables Saudagar Kumar Yadav, Raj Kumar Rishi, Kundan Kumar and Suman Kumar. They were attached to Sahodra police station.
Police Claim Ansari Jumped From Moving Vehicle
According to a police statement, Ansari was arrested from the Banuchhapar police station area and was being taken to Sahodra police station when he allegedly jumped from a moving police vehicle.
“After his arrest from Banuchhapar, Dilshad was being taken to Sahodra police station when he jumped from the running vehicle and, as a result, suffered grievous injuries,” the police statement said.
Police said he was taken to the subdivisional hospital in Narkatiaganj and later referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Bettiah. Doctors declared him dead on arrival at the hospital.
Ansari was a resident of Badhayi Tola in Auraiya, under the Banuchhapar police station area in Bettiah. He had been named as an accused in an NDPS case registered in August 2025.
Family Alleges Police Assault
Ansari’s family has rejected the police account and alleged that he died after being assaulted in custody. They have demanded a high-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.
His wife, Nagma Khatoon, said police took him from their home during a raid around 2 am on Monday, assuring the family that he would be released by morning after questioning.
She said the family later received a call from Banuchhapar police station asking them to visit GMCH, Bettiah, on the grounds that her husband had fallen ill.
“When we came here, we found him lying dead in the hospital,” she said.
Ansari’s father, Akhbar Ansari, also accused the police of causing his son’s death.
“My son died after he was hit hard on his head by police,” he alleged.
The allegations have not been established, and the police have maintained that Ansari sustained injuries after allegedly jumping from the moving vehicle.
Six Police Personnel Suspended
The six personnel have been suspended with immediate effect, according to Bettiah police. The action follows questions raised by the family over the circumstances of Ansari’s death.
