Gizri Police allegedly kill man in custody

Family claims police is delaying exhumation of body, defying court orders

KARACHI: Gizri Police have allegedly killed a suspect after detaining him under fabricated charges. The family of the deceased claims that the body bore torture marks and has filed a petition in the local court, praying the court to issue directives for the exhumation of the body. The South judicial magistrate had ordered the exhumation of the body by August 31, 2019 but the police are delaying the matter.

According to the family, Shahrukh Lodhi, son of Akhter Lodhi, was intercepted by the police on July 11, 2019, when he was returning to his house after collecting unpaid dues of Rs11,000  from his previous boss. The family claims that the police stopped Shahrukh under the pretext of snap checking, snatched his money and then took him to the police station where they registered a case of possessing illegal weapons against him. The case pertaining to possession of illegal weapons against Shahrukh was under trial at court at the time of his death.

Then on July 17, the family alleges, the police came to their house during the wedding festivities of Shahrukh's sister and took him away. Shahrukh's mother, Nasreen, said that the family searched for their son at various police stations but could not find him.

On July 18, the family was summoned to Gizri Police Station. There they were told that Shahrukh was on a motorcycle with another suspect - who was in the lock-up at the time - and met with a road accident and lost his life. The police handed over the body to the family.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Nasreen said that the body bore no bruises or marks that indicate the death occurred in a road accident. Instead, she said, there was a fresh wound at the back of Shahrukh's head and there were torture marks on his back. According to Nasreen, the family was threatened by the police when they voiced their suspicions. "The police told us to pray for the security of my other sons who are still alive," said Nasreen.

The family then approached the local court seeking exhumation of the body. As per court orders, said Nasreen, the police should have exhumed the body by August 31 but it has taken no such action as yet. She appealed to Sindh IGP Dr Kaleem Imam for justice. "If my son had committed any crime, the police could have dealt with him according to law," she said. "Who gave them the authority to torture Shahrukh to death? An inquiry should be carried out against Gizri Police Station," she demanded.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2019.