New Delhi, March 30 A 32-year-old Nigerian national died under mysterious circumstances after being apprehended by the Special Staff of the West district during an operation called "Kavach" in west Delhi, police said on Monday.
The Delhi Police, in a statement, said that the incident occurred on Sunday evening as part of an ongoing operation "Operation Kavach," aimed at intensified patrolling in busy areas and along major roads to check suspicious activities.
"The Special Staff was on routine patrol when they spotted a man riding a black scooter on the wrong side of the road near the Rajouri Garden Metro station. Finding his movement suspicious, the team signaled him to stop for questioning," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said in the statement.
However, instead of stopping, the rider crashed his scooter into a police motorcycle and fell to the ground. He then abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, prompting the police team to chase and apprehend him after a brief pursuit, the statement read.
The suspect was subsequently taken to the Special Staff office located near Tagore Garden for further questioning. During the initial interaction, the man did not cooperate with the police and complained of uneasiness, it read.
Sensing his deteriorating condition, the police team immediately shifted him to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital in Khyala for medical examination. However, doctors at the hospital declared him "brought dead," according to the medical reports.
The deceased has been identified as Christian Eze Promise, a Nigerian national. His body has been preserved at the mortuary of AIIMS in New Delhi for further legal formalities, including a postmortem.
Police said that due procedure has been followed in the case, and intimation regarding the incident has been sent to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Ministry of External Affairs, and the High Commission of Nigeria, in accordance with standing guidelines issued by the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in cases involving foreign nationals.
Police added that all mandatory protocols are being adhered to, and documentation related to the case has been completed as per norms.
Meanwhile, a police officer said, "We have stepped up security outside the police station to maintain law and order."
With the death occurring under unclear circumstances, police sources said a parallel inquiry is also being conducted to ascertain whether it qualifies as a case of custodial death. A team of senior officers has been tasked with conducting a thorough probe into the sequence of events.
Investigators will examine CCTV footage covering the entire chain of events – from the location where the suspect was first spotted and apprehended near Rajouri Garden to his movement towards the Special Staff office and subsequent visit to the hospital – to establish the exact circumstances leading to his death.
Further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry and postmortem report, police sources added.
