BATHINDA, Sept. 18 -- A judicial probe has been initiated to ascertain the cause of death of a 26-year-old who died in the custody of Bathinda police.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sohail Quasim Mir on Thursday said that, as per protocol, the district authority has also informed the National Human Rights Commission about the death.

He said the communication was sent to the Bathinda district sessions judge on Wednesday, after which a judicial officer was appointed.

The SSP said that further action would be initiated based on the judicial probe. The deceased's father had alleged on Wednesday that his son was a drug addict and had left on Sunday for an undisclosed location to buy narcotics, but was arrested by the police on flimsy...