'Phone thief' dies in police custody
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
A 35-year-old man died allegedly due to torture in the custody of Kot Sabzal police.
According to the FIR, Assistant Sub Inspector Nisar Ahmed and three other personnel had picked up Shah Nawaz Ahmed on the suspicion of stealing a mobile phone.
After the arrest, the family of Shah Nawaz tried to contact him but were unable to do so.
After the intervention of an influential individual, the police agreed to allow the family to see the suspect in the evening.
However, when the family arrived at the police station, they were told that the man was not in custody.
Later in the night, the family received information that Shah Nawaz had been brutally tortured by the police, resulting in his death.
The family tried to contact the police authorities again but wwere unable to reach them.
On Monday morning, when Shah Nawaz Ahmed's relatives arrived at the police station, they were again informed that he was not in custody.
The family stayed at the police station for two hours without receiving any response.
Later, some local feudal lords intervened in the matter and negotiated with the police.
When the family became convinced that their son had been killed, they blocked the National Highway in protest.
Upon receiving information about the development, SP Javed Jatoi from Rahim Yar Khan and ASP Bangal Khan Bugti from Sadiqabad arrived at the scene.
After reviewing the details of the case, it was decided that the policemen who had taken the man into custody should be charged with kidnapping. The family demanded that the body be handed over to them.
The protest continued for about five hours, after which the police resorted to shelling, baton charge and firingto disperse the demonstrators and reopen the highway.
The traffic was restored in the evening. A case of abduction was registered against the personnel.
The body was also found in the evening and handed over to the family after post-mortem.
An FIR under Section 302 has also been registered against four police officials.