Surat Youth Held in Prohibition Case Dies in Custody, Probe Underway

Surat: A 22-year-old youth died within hours of being arrested in a prohibition-related case in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting a custodial death inquiry by the police.

The deceased, Ranjit Giri, was detained on Tuesday evening after police allegedly found him in an intoxicated condition during routine patrolling in the Pandesara area.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Z.R. Desai, after the completion of panchnama and other legal procedures, Giri was formally arrested around 7 pm and lodged in the lock-up at Pandesara police station.

Police said that at around 12.30 am on Wednesday, while he was being escorted to Surat Civil Hospital for a medical examination, he reportedly suffered an epileptic seizure outside the lock-up premises and collapsed.

Officers immediately performed CPR and called the 108 emergency service. Medical personnel also attempted to revive him before he was shifted to Surat Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 1.15 am.

ACP Desai said Giri’s family informed investigators that he had a history of alcohol and substance abuse and had previously experienced epileptic seizures.

“His relatives told us that he had suffered a similar epileptic episode three days earlier. At that time, his mother had advised him to seek treatment at the civil hospital, but he declined,” Desai said.

An inquiry into the custodial death has been initiated and is being conducted by ACP Desai. DeshGujatat