Youth dies in police custody in Jhang

District sessions judge orders judicial inquiry into incident

JHANG: A young man, who kidnapped his aunt and was later arrested, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Kotwali Thana.

Police said the youth, identified as Ghulam Yaseen, hung himself in the police station’s washroom due to fear of a confrontation with his family. On the other hand, family members of the deceased said the death was caused by police abuse. The family held a protest at Kotwali Thana and district headquarters hospital. Police said Yaseen, a resident of Canal Road neighbourhood Hassan Nagar, kidnapped his aunt a month back ago after which a case was registered. The cops had arrested the suspect a few days ago and recovered his aunt.

Police said Yaseen committed suicide by hanging himself using his jeans and belt in the police station’s washroom. The family, meanwhile, alleged police killed the victim after subjecting him to severe torture.



After the necessary procedures, Yaseen’s body was sent to the district headquarters hospital where the family staged a protest in front of the emergency ward, while also trying to block Gojra Road.

Police intervened and a scuffle broke out between officials and family members.

DSP City Circle Rana Khalid Rasheed and DSP Saddar Circle Saifullah Bhatti reached the spot and pacified the family. He assured them that further investigation would be conducted after an autopsy report. The body was handed over to the heirs after a postmortem. Police said district and sessions judge Jhang ordered a judicial inquiry of the incident while the IG Punjab has also ordered a report of the incident in 24 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2018.