Youth’s death after being beaten up by police sparks protests in Jammu

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: A 27-year-old youth died under mysterious circumstances after he was allegedly beaten up by police, sparking protests by his relatives and neighbours here on Monday, official sources said. Shubam Sharma, a resident of the Bantalab locality on the outskirts of Jammu, was playing cricket near his house when a police party raided the area in search of drug traffickers on Sunday evening, the sources said. Sharma’s family alleged he was detained and severely beaten up by the cops before they left the spot. He was rushed to hospital where he died, the family said, adding the body was lying at the hospital’s mortuary for postmortem. The protesters blocked the main road at Bantalab on Monday morning, demanding an inquiry into the incident and seeking justice. “He was working as an electrician and was the only earning hand in the family…we want justice,” Sharma’s younger sister Shivani said. Senior police and civil officers were rushed to the scene to persuade the protesters to disperse, assuring an investigation into the incident.