Suspected burglar dies in police custody

Family alleges that he was tortured to death, police claim he died of heart attack

TANDLIANWALA:

A man accused of two burglaries died from alleged police torture. Dozens of his relatives blocked the road by setting tires on fire and shouted slogans against the police, demanding the registration of a case.

Sub-Inspector Farrukh Tahsin and his team raided a location in Thatta Tarkhana and arrested 45-year-old Jahangir, who was wanted in several cases under the provisions of 457/380 and 380/41 PPC. The suspect was taken to Garh Police Station and and detained in police custody. Personnel at the station allegedly tortured him, as a result of which he died in police custody.

When the news of the suspect’s death reached his relatives, they were shocked. They blocked Garh Fateh Chowk and set tires ablaze, shouting slogans against SHO Garh and his team. The protesters demanded the registration of a case against the police officers responsible for the torture. They further alleged that the deceased Jahangir was arrested without a warrant. SP Saddar Shamsul Haque Durrani reached the spot and negotiated with the protesters. He assured them that action would be taken against the police officers, upon which the protestors dispersed.

Meanwhile, City Police Officer (CPO) Usman Akram Gondal took notice of Jahangir’s death at Garh police station and sought an incident report from SP Saddar. According to DSP Tandlianwala Mian Masood Nazir, Jahangir was wanted by police in two cases of burglary but stated that his death was not the result of torture. Rather, Jahangir suffered a heart attack. The post-mortem is being conducted and if the report bears evidence of violence, police will register a case against the officers, he added.

This is not the first incident of a suspect dying in police custody. In December of last year, a young man died allegedly after being subjected to torture by police in Multan, prompting his relatives to stage a protest demonstration and move an application for registration of a case against police officials in Vehari on Thursday.

Taking notice of the incident, the DPO of Vehari ordered SP investigations Rubina Abbas to take the body of the deceased, identified as Imran Baloch, into custody. Meanwhile, the SP, while complying with the directions, sent the body to Luddan Hospital for a postmortem examination.

The deceased’s father, Liaquat Ali, and brother, Allah Ditta, alleged that Luddan and CIA police had taken Imran Baloch into their custody on November 29 in a girl’s kidnapping case, and “tortured him at some undisclosed location”.

They said they had to hand over Imran to ASI Waqas Ghumman at the office of DSP Saddar Muhammad Nasir on that day after they had proven his innocence.

However, police later handed him back to the deceased’s relatives, Liaquat Baloch and Fayyaz Baloch, in a severely injured condition, and he died of his wounds with injury marks on his head and in the rest of his body, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2023.