Serious allegations of unlawful detention, brutal torture, and medical negligence have surfaced against the Muhana police in Jaipur following the death of 19-year-old Rituraj Lohar. The victim fought for his life on ventilator support for 13 days before succumbing to his injuries on Monday. Following the incident, the State Human Rights Commission intervened, issuing formal notices to both the Jaipur Police Commissioner and the Jaipur District Collector demanding an explanation. The Commission has directed that a comprehensive investigation into the custodial death be conducted by an officer of the rank of IPS. Simultaneously, political pressure has mounted, with Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas issuing a stern warning that widespread protests will be launched if strict punitive action is not taken against the errant police personnel.
Dispute Over Dubai Gold and Detention at Jaipur Airport
The sequence of events traces back to a monetary dispute involving gold transport. Prakash Lohar, the father of the deceased, is a resident of Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh and works in Dubai. Prakash had returned from Dubai to Jaipur on 17 September. According to the family, a man named Manoj from Bhilwara had requested Prakash to bring a gold chain from Dubai. However, Prakash could not bring the chain, triggering a dispute over the money involved. Prakash stated that in an effort to resolve the matter, he had already transferred 2 lakh rupees back from Dubai and repaid another 50 thousand rupees after landing in Jaipur. Despite these payments, an argument persisted regarding a pending sum of around 1 lakh rupees.
The family alleged that on 17 September, as Prakash walked out of the Jaipur airport, three policemen identifying themselves as members of the Crime Branch intercepted him and took him away. His luggage was searched first, followed by another thorough search in a local hotel room. Prakash alleged that police personnel physically assaulted him inside the hotel. Upon learning that his father had been detained and assaulted, 19-year-old Rituraj rushed from Mandsaur to Jaipur to assist him. The family claimed that soon after his arrival in the city, the police took Rituraj into their custody as well.
Custodial Assault Allegations at Muhana Police Station
The situation escalated further on 22 September when Manoj of Bhilwara formally lodged a complaint at the Muhana police station. In his complaint, Manoj alleged that Prakash Lohar had taken 22 lakh rupees from him under the pretext of bringing cheap gold from Dubai. Acting on this complaint, police rounded up multiple individuals on the morning of 22 September. At approximately 10.30 AM, police brought Lalit and Prahlad from Mandsaur along with a man named Dilip from Jaipur to the station.
Roughly one and a half hours later, police brought Rituraj to the Muhana police station. The family alleged that inside the police station, Rituraj was subjected to severe physical brutality. Around 3.30 PM, a sentry stationed on duty noticed the teenager lying completely unconscious. Alarmed by his unresponsive physical condition, the police personnel rushed him to a nearby private facility named Lucky Hospital in Muhana.
Hospital Transfers and the Question of Paid Medical Bills
The family alleged that instead of taking Rituraj directly to a government medical facility, the police shifted him between two private healthcare centers. After receiving initial attention at Lucky Hospital, he was moved to Narayana Hospital. As his clinical condition deteriorated drastically, doctors placed him on life support on a ventilator. Recognizing the critical nature of his injuries, the private hospital referred him to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, where he remained admitted in a critical state for 13 days.
During this period, the family pointed out what they view as incriminating conduct by the authorities. They revealed that the medical treatment at the two private hospitals accumulated a bill of around 98,500 rupees, and this entire amount was settled directly by the Muhana police. The family has questioned why the police department bore medical expenses totaling 98,500 rupees if the teenager had not been assaulted while in their custody.
False Snakebite Claims Contradicted by CT Scan Reports
The family further accused the police of fabricating a cover story to conceal the actual cause of Rituraj's injuries. When the police initially contacted the family, they merely stated that Rituraj had fallen ill and was hospitalized. When the relatives arrived at the healthcare center, police personnel claimed that Rituraj had been bitten by a venomous snake. Acting on this narrative, medical staff reportedly administered 10 anti-venom injections to the teenager.
However, the snakebite narrative collapsed when CT scan examinations were conducted at Narayana Hospital and Sawai Man Singh Hospital. According to the family, the imaging reports clearly revealed severe head trauma and internal cranial injuries. The discovery of direct trauma to the head prompted the family to challenge the claims made by the police and demand accountability for the violence inflicted upon him.
Coercion and 10 Lakh Rupee Settlement Offer Before Death
A day before Rituraj passed away, his father Prakash and mother Hema raised serious allegations against the personnel of Muhana police station. They stated that three police officers visited the hospital and exerted intense pressure on the grieving family to agree to a compromise. The officers allegedly proposed an offer to settle the entire case in exchange for 10 lakh rupees.
Hema further alleged that police personnel coerced her into putting her signature on an FIR document under duress. She claimed that the officers threatened the family, warning that if they refused to comply with the terms of the settlement, they would meet the same fate as their critically injured son. The family maintained that the police exploited their psychological vulnerability while their son was fighting for survival on life support.
Thirteen Days on Ventilator Support Ends in Tragedy
Throughout his 13-day admission at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Rituraj remained connected to a ventilator, but his clinical parameters never recovered. On Monday, he succumbed to his severe injuries. Following post-mortem procedures on Tuesday, authorities handed over his mortal remains to his relatives, who then departed for their hometown of Mandsaur to perform the final rites.
With the State Human Rights Commission now actively involved, senior administrative officials face formal scrutiny. The commission's directive mandates responses from the Jaipur Police Commissioner and the District Collector, alongside an independent inquiry led by an IPS officer. The investigation aims to determine the legal basis under which Rituraj was brought to the police station, the duration of his detention, the physical abuse inflicted on him, and the reasons behind the delay in providing timely and transparent medical care.
