6 cops booked for custodial death

A case has been registered against six policemen, including a checkpoint in-charge, while an SHO has been suspended after the death of a detainee in Wahndo police station.

After a bill against custodial death was passed by the Senate, Wahndo police station is the first in Punjab where a detainee has died.

Ejaz alias Amjad was allegedly tortured to death in Kali Suba post of Wahando police station on Saturday.

Gujranwala CPO Sarfraz Ahmed Falaki suspended Wahndo SHO Shabbir Gul for negligence.

At the request of the plaintiff, a case of murder was registered against 6 suspects including police post in-charge Sub-Inspector Jan Mohammad, Mudassar, Tanveer, Yusuf, Akram and Zubair in Wahndo police station.Jan Mohammad was taken into custody by Wahndo police on the orders of the CPO, while the rest of the suspects fled.

According to the police, an investigation committee headed by SP Sadar Abdul Wahab has been set up to investigate the incident.

Read Senate criminalises torture, custodial deaths

However, the other five suspects named in the case were at large till Sunday evening. Police said further action would be taken after the post-mortem and inquiry committee's reports.

Samples from the body have been sent to the Forensic Lab in Lahore to ascertain the cause of the death.

Area DSP Hashim Gujjar said that there were rope marks on the neck of the deceased.

Meanwhile, CPO Falaki said the death of a suspect in custody at a police station or post would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Earlier this year in April, Millat Town police registered a case against seven personnel, including a former check post in-charge and constables, along with another man over the death of a citizen after he allegedly set himself on fire at a petrol pump outside Bhai Wala.

Tahir Tanveer, a resident of Chak No 202RB Bhaiwala, informed the police that his son Shaan Haider was arrested and tortured on the night of February 7 by the staff of Chowki Bhaiwala. “They poured petrol on him and set him on fire.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2021.