After the custodial death, massive protests broke out in Kupwara on Thursday
Three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the custodial death of a 22-year-old man in Kupwara district on Wednesday.
Nazir Ahmad Mughal had been arrested by local police on Monday for his alleged involvement in a murder case in the area. On Wednesday morning, his body was found at the premises of a government hospital, where he was taken for medical check-up.
Mughal's death in police custody triggered massive protests and led to clashes in the frontier district of Kashmir. On Thursday, over 20 people - most of them policemen and security forces personnel - were injured during clashes.
On Friday, authorities imposed curfew in the town following attacks on police and district administration offices and the office of a political party.
Sources in the police say preliminary investigation has established that Mughal was severely beaten up by cops during custody and all three policemen responsible were arrested on Friday evening.
"There were torture marks on his body," said a senior official.
The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the custodial death case.
The action against the accused cops was taken after Governor NN Vohra took a strong note of the incident and asked the Director General of Police to take stern action against the guilty.