Keonjhar, May 7: A youth, who had been arrested on charges of loot, dacoity and extortion, complained of pain in his abdomen and later died at a hospital in Keonjhar district today.

While local residents described the incident as custodial death due to police torture, police said he succumbed to his illness at a government hospital.

According to police, Muna Sundi, 25, was wanted in five loot, dacoity and extortion cases in Bolani, Barbil and Joda areas in Keonjhar district. A police team, in association with Tanto police last late night, raided his house at his native Birsinghhato village under Tanto police station in the neighbouring Jharkhand state and arrested him.

He was being brought to Badbil by a police team on a vehicle from his native village. On the way to Barbil, he complained of pain in his abdomen. So he was rushed to a government hospital at Barbil today morning and was treated there. But he died at the hospital just few minutes after his admission.

“When he was brought to the hospital, he was complaining of pain in his abdomen. He was immediately administered injection and saline around 10.35am today. He died around 10.45,” said Soudamini Dhal, medical officer of the government hospital at Barbil.

Rejecting the police version, local people suspected foul play. “How can a healthy person complain of pain in his stomach at such a young age,” asked a local resident who did not want to be quoted. “He might have died due to police atrocity. His death occurred while he was in police custody,” they added.

Refuting the charge of a custodial death, inspector-in-charge of Barbil police station K.C.Parida said: “Muna was not brought to the police station. On the way to the police station, he complained of his illness and we immediately rushed him to the hospital where he died.

Family members of the deceased have been informed of the death. The body would be sent for post-mortem after the family members arrive.