A man in his twenties died after reportedly attempting suicide in the toilet of Chandrakona police station in West Midnapore district, West Bengal, on Sunday, 14 September 2025, triggering allegations of custodial killing from his family. The deceased, identified as Rahul Ruidas, had been arrested four days earlier in a theft case and was serving a court-ordered four-day police remand at the time of the incident.

What Happened Inside the Lockup

According to district police, Rahul Ruidas entered the station toilet during his custody and allegedly tied his pants around his neck in an apparent suicide attempt. Officers, alerted by a noise, entered the toilet and found him unconscious. He was first shifted to Chandrakona Rural Hospital and, after his condition worsened, transferred to Ghatal Sub-district Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Rahul had been produced before the Ghatal Sub-district Court after his arrest, and the presiding judge had remanded him to police custody for four days. Local sources allege he had a history of drug addiction and was allegedly involved in theft and robbery — claims his own family has not contested.

Family Alleges Killing, Points to Contradictory Police Accounts

Rahul's brother broke down before media on Monday, directly accusing the police of killing him. 'My elder brother was killed. One policeman says he strangled himself with a pant rope. Another policeman says he hit his head on something. The two policemen are saying different things,' he said, highlighting what the family sees as contradictory police narratives. The district police had not issued any official statement on the matter as of Monday.

A Pattern of Custodial Deaths in Bengal

The Chandrakona incident is the third custodial death allegation in West Bengal within a matter of weeks, raising serious concerns about detainee welfare inside police lockups. In August 2025, Birju Keot — husband of Jenny Sharma Keot, a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor at Kanchrapara Municipality in North 24 Parganas district — died in police custody. It was alleged he died due to assault in the lockup. In that case, the state government ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe, suspended the investigating officer of the local police station, and 'closed' the inspector-in-charge.

Notably, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly admitted to police negligence in the Kanchrapara case, an acknowledgment that is rare in custodial death incidents. Last week, a separate custodial death was alleged in Bakhrahat in the Bishnupur area of South 24 Parganas district, further adding to the growing list of such incidents in the state.

What Happens Next

As of Monday, no official investigation has been announced specifically for the Chandrakona case. Given the political and legal scrutiny triggered by the recent string of custodial death allegations, pressure is expected to mount on district authorities and the state government for a transparent inquiry. Rights groups and opposition leaders are likely to demand an independent probe, especially given the family's account of conflicting police statements at the scene.