Gurdwara at Rajoana Kalan and bullet marks (Express photos/Special arrangement).

The key accused in the Rajoana Kalan gurdwara firing case, Raj Singh alias Raju, 42, died in police custody hours after his arrest by the Ludhiana Rural Police, prompting a magisterial inquiry into the circumstances leading to his death, officials said on Tuesday.

Raju died in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. A resident of Noorpur Machhiwara village in Ferozepur district, he was in custody at Sudhar police station when he reportedly “collapsed” and was rushed to the local Civil Hospital. He was subsequently referred to Global Hospital, Ludhiana , where he died, police said.

Raju’s family alleged that he was tortured in police custody and claimed that he was in good health when arrested.…