Autopsy report: Brothers bled to death from bullet wounds

Family dissatisfied with post-mortem report, demands fresh inquiry

RAWALPINDI: Autopsy reports of two brothers killed in an alleged police encounter had died of excessive bleeding from the gunshot wounds they had suffered on their arms and legs.

According to the post-mortem report issued by the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), 30-year-old Muhammad Irfan had suffered 12 gunshot wounds all over his body while 29-year-old Waseem had received five bullet wounds.

The two brothers, R A Bazar police had claimed, were killed during an exchange of fire in the Quaid-i-Azam colony after police teams had raided their house while looking for their other brother Abdul Manan. Officials had claimed that while trading fire with the three brothers, SHO Malik Sajid suffered an injury to his left thigh while constable Shahzeb sustained an injury to his head.

However, the family of the two brothers had disputed police’s claim, instead accused R A Bazar officials of killing them in a fake encounter, arresting four of their brothers and detaining them.

The autopsy report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, suggested that both brothers died after they suffered ‘circulator shock’ owing to excessive bleedings on February 23.

Moreover, the hospital said it had received the injured brothers at about 12:15 am on February 23. Waseem, doctors said, died at 4 am, while Irfan succumbed to his wounds four hours later at 8 am. According to the report, Waseem died four to six hours after receiving his injuries while Irfan suffered for around nine to 11 hours.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Nadeem Anwarul Haq - the elder brother of Irfan and Waseem-  said that his family was not satisfied with the post-mortem report. He added that he was handed the report over 13 days after his brothers had been killed.

Noting that added Irfan had also bled from a head injury, Haq said his family would try and seek a fresh post-mortem by a medical board comprising expert doctors at the DHQ.

The family of the two brothers had already claimed that the police had deliberately delayed shifting them to a hospital which
caused their deaths.

Investigations

In a separate development, an SP-led a team of local police to again visit the house of the deceased brothers near the Dhamial Army Aviation Base. The police team also examined as part of their investigations into the alleged encounter.

Further, a three-member team of senior police officials, constituted by Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, concluded their probe though their report was still awaited.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2017.