Indian murder suspect beaten during police reconstruction
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A murder investigation in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, has drawn wider scrutiny after video showed police beating the main suspect during a reconstruction of the alleged crime. The suspect, Faizal alias Khatki Rafiq Lakhani, was arrested after his live-in partner Kajal Baraiya died from injuries sustained in an assault outside a public bus station on 3 September. During a reconstruction on 5 September, officers tied his hands with rope and repeatedly struck him with batons in public, with some local reports saying he was hit more than 100 times in about 10 minutes. Police later defended the conduct as a necessary extra step in a grave case, but the footage has intensified criticism that officers were imposing punishment before any court verdict.
Key Points
- The case took place in Bhavnagar in Gujarat, where 20-year-old Faizal alias Khatki Rafiq Lakhani and 40-year-old Kajal Baraiya were reportedly living rough outside a public bus station.
- Police said Lakhani had recently been released from jail in another case and suspected Baraiya had begun a relationship with their mutual friend Ravi alias Boda Rajendra Gohel.
- On 3 September, CCTV recorded Lakhani allegedly attacking Baraiya and Ravi, then grabbing Baraiya by the hair and smashing her head, neck and face against the ground.
- Baraiya was taken unconscious to a government hospital in Bhavnagar and later died, while Lakhani was arrested the next day on suspicion of murder.
- Video from 5 September showed officers pressing the suspect against a police vehicle, pillars and a wall, then beating him even after he fell and begged for mercy.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case is a stark example of how viral footage can shift attention from an alleged homicide to questions about police accountability and due process. It also underlines that even in highly emotive cases, public confidence in law enforcement can be damaged if officers appear to bypass the courts and ignore formal limits on the use of force.