Patna, May 15: The discovery of six nails lodged in the back of the body of Phekan Pandit in Vaishali hospital today led relatives and residents to gherao the Sadar police station at Hajipur, 30km from here.

Vaishali police yesterday arrested Phekan Pandit (60), a panchayat ward member, from the Kiranpur Rajmera panchayat under Bhagwanpur police station in connection with a case of “obstructing” government work during flood relief distribution at Bhagwanpur in October 2007.

The police, however, said that they took Pandit to Bhagwanpur public health centre last evening after the accused started to complain of “pain”.

“We took him to Goraul public health centre for there was no doctor available at Bhagwanpur public health centre,” said an officer at the Bhagwanpur police station.

The officer added that the Goraul PHC referred the case to Hajipur Sadar hospital where the doctors declared Pandit “brought dead”.

Relatives today found six nails pierced in Pandit’s body. They, along with residents, carried the body and demonstrated in front of the Sadar police station.

The deceased’s daughter-in-law, Sanju Devi, lodged a case of “custodial death” against the police at the Hajipur Sadar police station.

Vaishali superintendent of police Parasnath confirmed that there were indeed six nails lodged in Pandit’s body. “But, it’s not clear if the nails were pierced in the body before or after the death,” the superintendent said, adding: “The body has been sent for post-mortem and we will know the truth only when the report is obtained.”

Parasnath said: “Stern action will be taken against the policemen if the post-mortem report proves that the nails were pierced in Pandit’s body while he was in police custody.”

Sanju Devi, however, said: “Why will someone pierce nails into my father-in-law’s body after his death? He was a respected member of the community elected by the people to head our panchayat ward. The police framed him in a false case when he went to seek relief for the flood-affected people in October 2007.”

Local MLA Munna Shukla, who belongs to the JD(U), alleged police “high-handedness” was at work in the case.