Fifteen persons, including two minors, have been arrested for allegedly pelting stones at a police outpost in Assam’s Lakhimpur district where a man died in police custody this week, said Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Saturday.

Singh said in a post on social media that “materials preparatory to arson” were seized from the group after searches and the police had obtained CCTV evidence against them.

The director general also stated that directions have been issued to revoke the suspension of two police officials in connection with Ali’s death.

On Wednesday, a 42-year-old man identified as Arshab Ali, a resident of South Chandmari village in Lakhimpur, died in police custody. He was detained a day earlier along with four others in a mobile phone theft case. They had been taken to the Khelmati police outpost.

Two among the five detained were the main accused in the theft case. The other three, including Ali, were accused of buying the allegedly stolen phones.

According to the police officer, Ali, who was sitting on a bench, fell over and became unconscious on Thursday morning. He was taken to the Lakhimpur Medical College but was declared dead on arrival.

The news of his death sparked outrage among the locals and they surrounded the outpost, The Hindu reported. Stones were thrown at police officers. Authorities later pacified the crowd. The Assam Police on Thursday suspended two of its personnel in connection with the custodial death.

On Saturday, however, Singh said that a postmortem report showed that Ali died “due to pre-existing coronary disease”.

A coronary disease affects the heart's major blood vessels.

“District SP [superintendent of police] has been directed to withdraw suspension orders of the policemen including IC [inspector-in-charge],” Singh said in a social media post. “However, detailed enquiry and mandatory follow up would continue.”

He also “appropriate lawful action is being taken” against the 15 persons for alleged arson plot.