Nagpur: A youth from Uttar Pradesh, arrested in a case of sexual assault and kidnapping of a minor girl, allegedly died by suicide inside the lock-up of Jaripatka Police Station, raising serious questions over custodial security and police supervision. The incident has led to a CID inquiry.

The deceased was identified as Nagendrakumar Ramji Bhatia (20), a resident of Handiya in Prayagraj district.

According to police, he had established contact with a minor girl from the Jaripatka area through Instagram, allegedly trapped her with promises of marriage and later convinced her to elope. When the girl went missing, her family searched for her and eventually lodged a complaint with Jaripatka police.

A case of kidnapping and sexual offences was registered, and a search operation was launched. During the investigation, the girl was traced to Prayagraj. With assistance from local police, Nagendrakumar was arrested and the minor was safely reunited with her family. He was produced before a court and remanded to two days of police custody.

Police said that due to the cold weather, the accused was provided a blanket inside the lock-up. In the early hours, when vigilance was reportedly low, he allegedly tore the blanket, climbed onto a container brought from the toilet, tied the cloth to the lock-up iron rods and hanged himself. He was later found by police personnel, who immediately informed senior officers.

The incident has triggered concerns over monitoring of undertrial prisoners in custody. The CID has taken over the probe and seized CCTV footage, station diary records and other relevant documents.

Meanwhile, the accused’s parents reached Nagpur following the incident. His mother reportedly collapsed after learning of her son’s death, while his father alleged negligence on the part of police and demanded accountability. Further investigation is in progress.