A 55-year-old murder accused who had been on the run for 30 years died hours after his arrest in Bihar’s Samastipur district, prompting his family to claim he was tortured in police custody.

Rejecting the charges, police said Krishna Bhagwan Jha, also known as Tuna Jha, began to deteriorate shortly after his arrest and died on Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Sanjay Pandey told reporters that the cause of his death can only be determined after the autopsy report is released.

Police arrested Jha on Tuesday night after receiving a tip-off that he lived in Sararanjan area.

“He was taken to Sararanjan police station. After some time, his condition started deteriorating. He was taken to the district government hospital where he was declared dead on arrival, an official from the police station said.

Jha’s family and locals staged a protest near the district hospital on Tuesday night, demanding action against the erring officers, saying Jha was beaten to death in police custody.

After learning about the incident, I rushed to the hospital together with the relevant person in charge and interacted with the victim’s family and local people. ASP told reporters that the situation was under control and the body had been sent for autopsy.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)