SA police rules out ‘knee on neck' during dramatic arrest as death in custody investigation to begin
Police say there was no misconduct by its officers during a dramatic arrest last month that left a father of two with injuries he didn't recover from.
Gaurav Kundi, 42, from Modbury North, had his life support switched off on Thursday and died surrounded by his family.
During the May 29 arrest, Kundi's condition declined and he 'became unresponsive'.
He was rushed to hospital, where his family were told that he had an 'unrecoverable' brain injury.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens on Friday said a top-level inquiry into the Royston Park arrest found its officers did not place a knee on the man's neck during any stage of the incident, nor was his head forced into the police vehicle or onto the ground.
Kundi's death is being investigated as a death in police custody, and major crime detectives will continue to investigate the cause and circumstances of his death and prepare a report for the State Coroner.
Others involved in the investigation will include the Office for Public Integrity, which will assess the conduct of police officers involved in the incident.
The investigation and inquiries of this incident will have layers of independent oversight, including the Director of Public Prosecution, Office of Public Integrity and the State Coroner.
SAPOL has briefed the Indian Consulate on the incident.
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Sky News AU
17 hours ago
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Adelaide father who was ‘just drunk' when arrested dies in hospital as Commissioner's Inquiry into death underway
An Adelaide father has died in hospital after becoming unresponsive during a police arrest, with his partner claiming he was 'just drunk' and not assaulting her. A major investigation has been launched into the death of Gaurav Kundi, 42, who was taken to hospital following an incident involving officers at Royston Park on May 29. Police had spotted an altercation between a man and a woman, and the 42-year-old became unresponsive during an attempt to arrest him, according to a South Australia Police statement that day. Footage of the arrest filmed by his partner Amritpal Kaur and obtained by 9News appeared to show Mr Kundi being forced to the ground during the arrest. Ms Kaur told 9News earlier this month that Mr Kundi was intoxicated at the time and said he 'pushed me a little bit' after she told him to go home with her. "The policeman think he's assaulting me and doing domestic violence on the road but policeman is wrong," she told 9News. "He is just drunk and that's why he is loud, nothing else." Police confirmed on Friday that Mr Kundi died at Royal Adelaide Hospital that morning. Ms Kaur did not wish to comment on Friday morning, according to The Advertiser. A Commissioner's Inquiry into the incident was announced earlier this month and a death in police custody investigation has been launched, with a report to be prepared for the state's coroner. South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told media on Friday the officers' body worn video footage has been reviewed, and said police are confident that a knee was not placed on Mr Kundi's neck by any officer during the incident. 'And I can confirm that his head was not forced into the police vehicle, side of the police vehicle, nor was his head forced into the ground during the incident," the Commissioner said. He also confirmed that none of the officers involved in the incident have since been stood down from their duties. 'There is nothing at this point in time that would warrant that determination. If information comes to light during any of the processes that indicates otherwise, then that would be something that would be reconsidered at that time,' Commissioner Stevens said. Inquiries into his death will involve 'independent oversight', including from the state's Director of Public Prosecution and the Office of Public Integrity, as well as the State Coroner, according to police. Police have advised the Indian Consulate about Mr Kundi's death.
News.com.au
17 hours ago
- News.com.au
Adelaide father Gaurav Kundi dies after attempted police arrest
Footage has been released of a police attempting to arrest an Adelaide man who later died in hospital after the incident. Gaurav Kundi, 42, was involved in an incident with police on May 29, and early Friday his life support system was switched off. Mr Kundi leaves behind two children and a wife. In the footage obtained by 9News a woman can be heard screaming as Mr Kundi is held on the ground by officers. Mr Kundi's wife, Amritpal Kaur, filmed portions of the arrest, alleging an officer put a knee into her husband's neck after she had stopped filming. In a statement on Friday, South Australian Police said officers did not force a knee onto Mr Kundi's neck during the arrest. 'The senior investigating officer conducting the (police) Commissioner's inquiry has reviewed body worn vision and it has been confirmed that at no time was a knee applied to Mr Kundi's neck,' the statement reads. 'His head was not forced into the car or roadway at any point. However, the use of restraints during this incident will be closely examined during the Commissioner's inquiry.' Investigations and inquiries into the incident will have 'several layers of independent oversight', police say. The footage shows a standing Mr Kundi being restrained by two officers. One officer uses their own foot to trip or push Mr Kundi to the ground; Mr Kundi then falls on the bitumen. His wife told Channel 9 she panicked and stopped filming, and alleges an officer put a knee into her husband's neck after she had stopped filming. Mr Kundi became unresponsive some time after he was taken to the ground by the officers. Ms Kaur told Channel 9 her husband was drunk, and they had a minor altercation on the roadside before police arrived. Police arrived at the incident at Payneham Road, in the suburb of Royston Park, about 2.45am on May 29. Mr Kundi 'became unresponsive' as he was arrested, police said at the time. Paramedics took him to Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition. He died in hospital in the early hours of Friday, June 13. Police are investigating the incident as a death in custody. 'Major Crime Investigation Branch will continue to investigate the cause and circumstances of his death and prepare a report for the state coroner,' a police spokesperson said on Friday. 'The investigation and inquiries of this incident will have several layers of independent oversight, including the Director of Public Prosecution, Office of Public Integrity and the State Coroner.' South Australian Police have also been providing updates directly to the Indian consulate. The largest English-language Indian news outlets have been covering Mr Kundi's death closely. South Australian senator, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, made assurances to Australia's Indian community, but would not comment until investigations were concluded. 'More broadly what I would say to the Indian community here in Australia, and the broader Indian community, this is an investigation that will be done properly and be assured of our friendship certainly with India, but also the importance of the Indian diaspora here in Australia,' she said.
The Advertiser
19 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Use of restraints key focus of death in custody probes
The use of restraints will be examined in a major inquiry sparked by the death of a man who became unresponsive during a police arrest. Gaurav Kundi, 42, died in hospital on Friday, two weeks after the early hours incident on May 29 at the Adelaide suburb of Royston Park. The matter is being treated as a death in custody, sparking a string of investigations. The major crime investigation branch will launch a probe to be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a report prepared for the coroner. An internal police investigation had been launched along with a Commissioner's Inquiry. South Australia Police confirmed on Friday use of restraints during the incident would be "closely examined" as part of the Commissioner's Inquiry. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the officers' body cam footage had been reviewed. "We can say definitively that at no time during the incident did any police officer place a knee on Mr Kundi's neck," he told reporters. "And I can confirm that his head was not forced into the police vehicle ... nor was his head forced into the ground during the incident." None of the officers involved in the arrest have been stood down from duty. "There is nothing at this point in time that would warrant that determination," Commissioner Stevens said. "If information comes to light during any of the processes that indicates otherwise then that would be something that would be reconsidered at that time." He could not give a timeframe on how long the multiple probes would take but urged the public to keep an "open mind". "Police are required to step into a variety of situations and often make decisions with limited information and with limited time to fully assess the circumstances," he said. "It never looks good when force is used against a member of the community. "I would just caution people to maintain an open mind until all of the information is collected." Commissioner Stevens said Mr Kundi's family was being updated and supported, with some flying to Adelaide. The Consulate General of India has been advised of Mr Kundi's death and would be updated, he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would not comment on the matter until the investigations had concluded. "More broadly what I would say to the Indian community here in Australia, and the broader Indian community, this is an investigation that will be done properly and be assured of our friendship," she told reporters on Friday. The use of restraints will be examined in a major inquiry sparked by the death of a man who became unresponsive during a police arrest. Gaurav Kundi, 42, died in hospital on Friday, two weeks after the early hours incident on May 29 at the Adelaide suburb of Royston Park. The matter is being treated as a death in custody, sparking a string of investigations. The major crime investigation branch will launch a probe to be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a report prepared for the coroner. An internal police investigation had been launched along with a Commissioner's Inquiry. South Australia Police confirmed on Friday use of restraints during the incident would be "closely examined" as part of the Commissioner's Inquiry. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the officers' body cam footage had been reviewed. "We can say definitively that at no time during the incident did any police officer place a knee on Mr Kundi's neck," he told reporters. "And I can confirm that his head was not forced into the police vehicle ... nor was his head forced into the ground during the incident." None of the officers involved in the arrest have been stood down from duty. "There is nothing at this point in time that would warrant that determination," Commissioner Stevens said. "If information comes to light during any of the processes that indicates otherwise then that would be something that would be reconsidered at that time." He could not give a timeframe on how long the multiple probes would take but urged the public to keep an "open mind". "Police are required to step into a variety of situations and often make decisions with limited information and with limited time to fully assess the circumstances," he said. "It never looks good when force is used against a member of the community. "I would just caution people to maintain an open mind until all of the information is collected." Commissioner Stevens said Mr Kundi's family was being updated and supported, with some flying to Adelaide. The Consulate General of India has been advised of Mr Kundi's death and would be updated, he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would not comment on the matter until the investigations had concluded. "More broadly what I would say to the Indian community here in Australia, and the broader Indian community, this is an investigation that will be done properly and be assured of our friendship," she told reporters on Friday. The use of restraints will be examined in a major inquiry sparked by the death of a man who became unresponsive during a police arrest. Gaurav Kundi, 42, died in hospital on Friday, two weeks after the early hours incident on May 29 at the Adelaide suburb of Royston Park. The matter is being treated as a death in custody, sparking a string of investigations. The major crime investigation branch will launch a probe to be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a report prepared for the coroner. An internal police investigation had been launched along with a Commissioner's Inquiry. South Australia Police confirmed on Friday use of restraints during the incident would be "closely examined" as part of the Commissioner's Inquiry. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the officers' body cam footage had been reviewed. "We can say definitively that at no time during the incident did any police officer place a knee on Mr Kundi's neck," he told reporters. "And I can confirm that his head was not forced into the police vehicle ... nor was his head forced into the ground during the incident." None of the officers involved in the arrest have been stood down from duty. "There is nothing at this point in time that would warrant that determination," Commissioner Stevens said. "If information comes to light during any of the processes that indicates otherwise then that would be something that would be reconsidered at that time." He could not give a timeframe on how long the multiple probes would take but urged the public to keep an "open mind". "Police are required to step into a variety of situations and often make decisions with limited information and with limited time to fully assess the circumstances," he said. "It never looks good when force is used against a member of the community. "I would just caution people to maintain an open mind until all of the information is collected." Commissioner Stevens said Mr Kundi's family was being updated and supported, with some flying to Adelaide. The Consulate General of India has been advised of Mr Kundi's death and would be updated, he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would not comment on the matter until the investigations had concluded. "More broadly what I would say to the Indian community here in Australia, and the broader Indian community, this is an investigation that will be done properly and be assured of our friendship," she told reporters on Friday. The use of restraints will be examined in a major inquiry sparked by the death of a man who became unresponsive during a police arrest. Gaurav Kundi, 42, died in hospital on Friday, two weeks after the early hours incident on May 29 at the Adelaide suburb of Royston Park. The matter is being treated as a death in custody, sparking a string of investigations. The major crime investigation branch will launch a probe to be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a report prepared for the coroner. An internal police investigation had been launched along with a Commissioner's Inquiry. South Australia Police confirmed on Friday use of restraints during the incident would be "closely examined" as part of the Commissioner's Inquiry. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the officers' body cam footage had been reviewed. "We can say definitively that at no time during the incident did any police officer place a knee on Mr Kundi's neck," he told reporters. "And I can confirm that his head was not forced into the police vehicle ... nor was his head forced into the ground during the incident." None of the officers involved in the arrest have been stood down from duty. "There is nothing at this point in time that would warrant that determination," Commissioner Stevens said. "If information comes to light during any of the processes that indicates otherwise then that would be something that would be reconsidered at that time." He could not give a timeframe on how long the multiple probes would take but urged the public to keep an "open mind". "Police are required to step into a variety of situations and often make decisions with limited information and with limited time to fully assess the circumstances," he said. "It never looks good when force is used against a member of the community. "I would just caution people to maintain an open mind until all of the information is collected." Commissioner Stevens said Mr Kundi's family was being updated and supported, with some flying to Adelaide. The Consulate General of India has been advised of Mr Kundi's death and would be updated, he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would not comment on the matter until the investigations had concluded. "More broadly what I would say to the Indian community here in Australia, and the broader Indian community, this is an investigation that will be done properly and be assured of our friendship," she told reporters on Friday.
