Patna, Jan. 15: Section 144 of the CrPC was clamped in Nawada today following a mob attack on the official residence of the district magistrate in protest against the death of a 25-year-old youth allegedly because of excesses in police custody.

The youth, Manoj Kumar Yadav, was detained last Wednesday for interrogation in connection with a murder case. His body was found today in a field adjacent to the railway tracks at Minapur.

People went berserk learning about the death of Manoj. The police had to open fire in the air to disperse the mob. No casualty was reported.

The trouble started around 2.30pm when a team of Nawada Town police station personnel reached Minapur to take possession of the youth’s body. As the news about Manoj’s death spread, a large number of people assembled at the spot where his body was found.

When the police tried to send the body for post-mortem, the residents started pelting stones. Three cops were injured. The policemen had to make a hasty retreat as the protesters outnumbered them.

The protesters later arrived at the residence of the district magistrate, Divesh Sehra, and shouted slogans against the administration alleging that Manoj died in police custody after third degree was applied by the men in uniform to elicit information about the murder of Sanjay Burnawal, a businessman who was shot dead on September 30 last year.

The mob pelted stones at the residence of Sehra and forced the shop owners of the nearby market to down their shutters. Apprehending that the situation might go out of control, the police resorted to lathicharge. As the protesters were in no mood to budge, the police had to open fire in the air to disperse the mob.

Nawada sub-divisional officer (Sadar) D. Zafar Hussain Khan said Section 144 of the CrPC had been promulgated in the wake of the tension prevailing in the town. The assemblage of five or more than five people at a place has been banned, he said.

Nawada superintendent of police (SP) S.L. Das described the situation as tense but under control. “Additional armed police force has been deployed in the town to thwart any untoward incident,” he said, appealing to the people to not to be misguided by rumours.

Manoj’s father Dayanand Yadav alleged that the police picked up his son last Wednesday. “Initially the police refused to give any information about the whereabouts of Manoj. Two days ago, the station house officer (SHO) told me that he (Manoj) would be released in a couple of hours. But my son did not reach home. Today, his body was recovered from a deserted place,” he told reporters.

Dayanand said the police had detained Manoj earlier also for questioning. But he was released then as no evidence was found against him, he said, adding that his son died in the police custody because of excesses.

He said he had pleaded before the SHO two days ago to release his son as the shradh (last rites) of my father (grandfather of Manoj) was scheduled today. “But I got the shocking news about my son’s death instead,” Dayanand said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

When asked about the allegations of police excesses, the Nawada SP said: “An inquiry has been ordered. The post-mortem will be conducted under the supervision of a medical board and the entire process will recorded on video.” Das said those found guilty would not be spared.

Additional director-general (headquarters) Ravinder Kumar said the police headquarters was keeping a close watch on the situation at Nawada.

Sources said the police apprehended Manoj’s involvement in the Burnawal murder case because the businessman’s cellphone was recovered from him.