Punjab youth dies in Italy police custody after arrest in sexual assault case, probe ordered

The death of a 23-year-old man from Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district while in police custody in Italy has sparked grief in his native village, with Italian authorities launching an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the custodial death.

The deceased, Sukhwinder Singh alias Sonu, a resident of Miani village in Dasuya block, died on June 23, two days after he was taken into custody by Italian police following allegations of inappropriate behaviour at the Tibidabo Water Park near Brescia.

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According to information received by the family, Sukhwinder had been living in Italy for nearly five years, where he worked as an agricultural labourer. He had no known criminal record and had applied for political asylum while awaiting the completion of immigration-related formalities.

The family said they first learned about his death through an official communication sent in Italian. As none of the family members could understand the document, they sought the help of a local youth, who translated it into Punjabi using an Artificial Intelligence-based translation tool. The translated document informed them that Sukhwinder had died while in judicial custody.

Italian authorities informed the family that Sukhwinder was arrested after complaints alleging inappropriate conduct involving minor girls at the water park. The case was later presented before a court, which reportedly recorded the statements of the complainants before remanding him to judicial custody in connection with sexual assault-related allegations.

However, the family has categorically rejected the allegations. Sukhwinder’s younger sister, Amandeep Kaur, said her brother had spoken to the family shortly before his arrest and maintained that the incident had been misunderstood.

According to her, Sukhwinder told the family that while walking through the water park, his hand accidentally came into contact with one of the girls who was taking photographs with her friends. He claimed that an argument followed, after which the police were called.

“He repeatedly told us that he had done nothing wrong and that the allegations against him were false,” Amandeep said, adding that her brother appeared mentally distressed after being arrested.

The family said they were later informed that Sukhwinder had complained of feeling unwell while lodged in jail. According to the information shared with them, prison authorities shifted him to another cell, where he died on June 23, the third day after his arrest. The exact cause of his death has not yet been officially established.

Following the custodial death, prosecutors in Brescia ordered a post-mortem examination and initiated an inquiry into the incident. Italian authorities have also constituted a special investigation to examine the circumstances leading to the death, including prison records, forensic evidence and other relevant material, to determine whether any procedural lapses occurred during his detention.

The incident has devastated Sukhwinder’s family, which had pinned its hopes on him to improve its financial condition. His father, Gurmeet Singh, said the family had borrowed nearly Rs 15 lakh and mortgaged valuables to send him to Italy about five years ago. He said Sukhwinder was the family’s only son and the sole hope for a better future.

The family also revealed that Sukhwinder’s mother passed away two years ago, but he was unable to return to India to attend her last rites because of his unresolved immigration status.

Maintaining that his son was innocent, Gurmeet Singh described him as a man of good character who could never have committed the offence alleged against him. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure a fair investigation into the custodial death and assist the family in bringing Sukhwinder’s mortal remains back to India for his last rites.

Relatives said Sukhwinder had studied up to Class 11 before leaving for Italy. Before moving abroad, he had served as a pathi at the village gurdwara and was widely regarded as a religious-minded young man in the area.