Three days and a third custodial death

Investigation in charge, SI and four constables named as accused in latest case

LAHORE: Another day results in another incident of alleged police brutality and one more custodial death in Lahore. This is the third consecutive case in three days, involving the police, which has resulted in the death of a citizen.

At least seven cases of custodial deaths have been reported in the last eight months.

In the recent incident, a 28-year-old gardener, identified as Amir Masih, fell prey to alleged police excesses.

Sunny Masih, the brother of the victim, told The Express Tribune that his brother worked as a gardener. On August 28, he received a call on his number from sub-inspector Zeeshan of North Cantonment. He had asked him to visit him at the police station.

“My brother went to see him and when he did not return home, we started searching for him. We visited his workplace where a security guard named Butt told us that SI Zeeshan had summoned him.”

Sunny said that when they met SI Zeeshan, he ignored their queries. On August 31, they called 15 and also registered a written statement at the Defence C police station. Later on, they learnt that Rana Muhammad Hanif, a resident of PF Colony, had got their relative arrested with the help of SI Zeeshan.

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“They kept him in illegal detention and also subjected him to brutal torture. On the evening of September 2, we met SI Zeeshan, who handed Amir to us, saying that his condition had deteriorated, Sunny shared. “The SI told us to take him away.”

He claimed Amir was in excruciating pain due to police brutality and beatings. “Amir told me that Investigations In Charge Nasir Beg, SI Zeeshan and other police officers tortured him,” said Sunny.

Later, Amir was admitted to the Services Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. “The police officers killed my brother and I demand justice.”

The CCPO’s office, in a statement, called the victim a suspect. An FIR has been registered against the alleged custodial death under sections 302, 342 and 34 of the PPC on the application submitted by Amir’s brother.

Investigations In Charge of the same police station, Inspector Nasir Beg, Sub Inspector Zeeshan and four constables were named as the accused.

Meanwhile, SHO North Cantt has been detained for negligence and violation of the code of conduct. CCPO Lahore BA Nasir appointed SSP (IAB) Faisal Mukhtar as the inquiry officer of the formal probe.

According to Lahore Capital City spokesperson, the CCPO Spokesman has warned all SHOs and beat officers that there would be zero tolerance over the torture of detained persons. "The SHO concerned would be arrested if any such incident occurs at any police station in future. The plague of private interrogation cells is not tolerable in any way," the CCPO announced.

Early On Monday, Amjad Zulfiqar, a victim of alleged brutality at a reportedly illegal private torture cell run by SHO Gujjarpura in Karol Village, died in hospital. His family alleged that he suffered serious injuries due to police beatings and died. Similarly, on Sunday, Salahuddin, who gained social media notoriety for his Faisalabad ATM robbery video, which showed him sticking out his tongue at surveillance cameras, passed away in custody of Rahim Yar Khan police due to reportedly severe torture.

IGP takes notice

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Captain (retd) Arif Nawaz Khan took immediate notice of the death of the suspect at North Cantt police station, Lahore. He ordered the Additional IG internal of accountability bureau to submit the report of the incident within 24 hours and take strict legal and departmental action against the responsible persons without a delay.

As per his directions, Additional IG Azhar Hameed Khokhar and his team are looking into the matter at North Cantt police station where a case has been registered against six officials on the application of Amir’s brother.

While giving directions to officers, Khan said that there was no place for those officers and officials who are misusing powers torturing people in police custody. He further ordered that there should be no delay in taking strict action after a departmental enquiry against the officials involved.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2019.