Juvenile murder suspects accuse police of torture

Court directs IO to conduct medical examination after boys claim police beat them

KARACHI: After two juvenile accused in a murder during robbery case made claims of being beaten by the police, a local court directed on Saturday the investigation officer (IO) to conduct their medical examinations.

The Pirabad police presented the two minor accused, Bilal and Abbas, during the hearing at the Karachi City Court, whereupon the court inquired whether they had been beaten by the police.

Both boys burst into tears as they told the court about the alleged physical torture inflicted on them by the police, claiming the police had brutally beaten then even though they were innocent and had not killed anyone.

The court asked them who was responsible for the beating, upon which the accused said they had been beaten by senior IO Gulab Marwat.

Lashing out, the judge asked, “Is this the way to interrogate suspects who have been arrested on the basis of suspicion through recce? The police are unable to prove anything against these youngsters. They are following a 40-year-old system.”

The court directed IO Rana Ghulam Jabbar to have the accused’s medical examinations conducted at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.