Adilakshmi, the victim’s mother, has filed a complaint accusing police officials and the rehab centre of custodial violence, illegal detention, and caste discrimination
BENGALURU — The death of a Dalit youth named Darshan has created a controversy in Karnataka’s capital city of Bengaluru as the victim’s family and human rights organisations allege that he was illegally imprisoned and tortured in police custody.
Darshan’s mother, Adilakshmi, has filed a complaint accusing police officials and the rehab centre of custodial violence, illegal detention, and caste discrimination. She claims her son was assaulted by Assistant Sub-Inspector Pawan and two other policemen, and denied medical care.
The police have registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and IPC sections related to assault and negligence. Dalit organisations are calling for an impartial investigation, citing concerns of custodial torture and upper-caste bias.
Darshan died on 26 November under suspicious circumstances.
In her complaint, 24-year-old Darshan’s mother said her son, who struggled with alcohol addiction, was picked up by police on 12 November after an argument near their home. She said officers at Viveknagar Police Station refused to release him or allow her to meet him. According to her, ASI Pawan and two other policemen assaulted Darshan so badly that he could not even walk, and no medical care was given to him despite his worsening condition.
Adilakshmi has also alleged that her son was targeted because he belonged to a Scheduled Caste and that upper-caste police personnel mistreated him. Dalit organisations have called for an impartial and transparent investigation, saying the timeline strongly suggests custodial torture disguised as rehabilitation.
According to the details of the case, On 15 November, Darshan’s family was informed on 15 November that police had shifted him to the Unity Foundation Rehab Centre near Madanayakanahalli. Adilakshmi said the police pressured her to admit him there and demanded ₹2,500 as admission fees. Staff at the centre allegedly kept assuring the family that Darshan was improving, but they never allowed them to see him.
Everything changed on 26 November when the family received a call saying Darshan had died due to “breathing difficulties”. When they reached the rehab centre, his body was not there. They were later told to go to Nelamangala Government Hospital, where doctors said he was brought dead. The family noticed injury marks on his chest, back, arms and legs, raising doubts that he had been severely beaten. His body was later taken to Victoria Hospital for a postmortem, where doctors reportedly found several older injuries. The complete report is still awaited.
Besides ASI Pawan and two unnamed policemen, the FIR also names the management of the rehab centre. Police say they are reviewing CCTV footage and medical records as part of the investigation.
Senior police officials say the postmortem findings will play a key role in establishing how Darshan died. They have assured that the investigation will be carried out in right earnest and that action will follow based on evidence.
