In a swift action following viral CCTV footage and public outrage, Bhopal police arrested constables Santosh Bamaniya and Saurabh Arya for the brutal killing of 22-year-old B.Tech student Udit Gayki. The victim, the brother-in-law of Balaghat DSP Chetan Adlak, was allegedly beaten to death in Bhopal’s Indrapuri area late Thursday night.
The shocking incident, captured on CCTV, has triggered widespread condemnation over custodial violence and corruption within the Madhya Pradesh Police. The MP Home Department stated on social media: “In Madhya Pradesh, the law applies equally to all, ensuring justice without exception. A murder case has been registered against two policemen in connection with the death of a man due to brutal police assault.”
The constables, previously suspended after the footage emerged, now face murder charges under Sections 103(1), 115(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing common intention and voluntarily causing grievous hurt. They are scheduled for a court appearance on Sunday under special requisition, as investigations continue with witness testimonies and digital forensics.
According to ASI Ajay Vajpayee, Udit and his friends were sitting in a red car in Indrapuri when the two patrolling constables approached. CCTV footage shows Saurabh Arya striking Udit with a baton while chasing him, while Santosh Bamaniya restrained him. Eyewitnesses reported that Udit was stripped of his shirt and repeatedly beaten against a wall, suffering severe internal injuries.
Udit, a final-year student at Technocrats Institute of Technology (TIT), Bhopal, was rushed to AIIMS, Bhopal but succumbed to his injuries en route. A preliminary autopsy confirmed death from traumatic haemorrhagic pancreatitis due to blunt trauma, with 16 external injuries, including “tram track” marks from lathi blows.
Netizens and activists have described the CCTV footage, which shows one constable holding Udit while the other delivers repeated blows, as horrifying, further intensifying demands for justice and accountability in the state.
