Custodial Killing in UP’s Basti

A CPI(ML) fact-finding team visited Ubhai village in Basti district in Uttar Pradesh where 16-year-old Adarsh Upadhyay was brutally assaulted in police custody, leading to his death. The team met the grieving family and exposed ongoing attempts to shield the guilty officers. Releasing the report on 29 March, CPI(ML) has demanded the immediate arrest of all accused officers, including the SHO, under murder charges.

According to the victim’s family, Adarsh had a minor altercation over tobacco with a villager named Ashok Gupta on 24 March. The police took Adarsh from his home and detained him at Duboulia police station. When his family arrived that evening, officers demanded a Rs. 5000 bribe for his release. Upon refusal, Adarsh was subjected to a violent beating, leaving deep wounds across his body. The following day, instead of releasing him, the police falsely charged him with theft. Later, in a desperate bid to cover up their crime, officers dumped him at his home, where he began vomiting blood. He was taken to a government hospital, but it was too late—Adarsh succumbed to his injuries that night.

Despite public outrage, no FIR has been lodged against the culprits. Instead, BJP leaders have been complicit in the cover-up, ensuring the police escape accountability. CPI(ML) has condemned the Yogi government for granting unchecked impunity to the police, leading to rising custodial deaths.

The party has demanded strict action against all guilty officers, punishment for the district SP and DM, and adequate compensation for the victim’s family. CPI(ML) also staged protests in Raebareli against Adarsh’s murder and the recent gang-rape and killing of a Dalit woman in Pratapgarh. A memorandum was submitted to the Governor, calling for immediate justice.