11 policemen suspended for alleged custodial death of citizen

CCTV footage lends credence to claims of illegal confinement, torture of the victim

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: As many as 11 policemen, including the SHO of the Gujjar Khan police station, have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the illegal confinement, torture and murder of a citizen after security camera footage from inside the station emerged.

A police spokesperson on Thursday said that Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Faisal Rana had suspended the officers believed to be involved in the incident, including the Gujjar Khan police station SHO.

The official added that based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage from inside the police station, they have declared the death of Mohammad Ilyas a murder.

CPO Rana has further directed Saddar SP Rai Mazhar Iqbal to investigate the case on merit, adding that the law was the same for everyone, even for police officers.

CPO wants killer cop behind bars

Police officers including SHO Mohammad Ilyas, Sub-Inspector Hassan, ASI Mohammad Jahangir, ASI Ghulam Asghar, ASI Aslam, Head Constable Zamir Hussain, Constable Mukhtar Hussain, Constable Faizan Zaheer, Constable Hanan Safeer, Constable Mohammad Shoaib and Constable Mohammad Ali have been suspended after Punjab DIG Investigation Ahsan Younus held them responsible for murder during initial investigation.

Investigation team formed

A team has been formed to investigate the death of five-year-old, Arham, who was fatally struck by a stray bullet in the Naya Muhalla neighbourhood.

CPO Rana condoled with the victim’s father Shahid and assured him that the suspects will be brought to justice. He told the father that though his son could not return, his co-operation with the law would save the lives of thousands of other children.

After this, the CPO formed a team with Rawal Division SP Akram Niazi as its head, to trace the suspects.

Three killed in separate incidents

Motorcyclist killed

A motorcyclist was killed by a speeding car in the remits of the Koral Police Station. Muhammad Shafiq told the police hat his son Haseeb was riding his motorcycle on the highway when he was rammed by a speeding car. Owing to the force of the blow, the bike somersaulted while Haseeb was killed.

The police have registered a case but have yet to trace the car or determine the identity of the driver.

Girl assaulted by family

A girl was assaulted by her family for refusing to sign the deed of a plot of land.

Shamsa Kanwal told the Bani Gala police that her brothers and maternal uncle allegedly assaulted her and tore her clothes when she refused to sign over the property.

The police have registered a case against the suspects but have yet to make any arrests.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2019.