Encounter deaths to be treated as 'custodial'

Police surgeon makes post-mortems compulsory

KARACHI:

In a move towards scrutiny of police encounters, all deaths resulting from alleged police encounters in Karachi will now be treated as custodial deaths, with mandatory medico-legal documentation, post-mortem examinations and judicial oversight. A new standing order issued by Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed has made it compulsory to examine the bodies under the Dead on Arrival (DOA) protocol and issue medico-legal certificates in every such case.

Under the standing order, every case involving a person killed in a police encounter will be referred to a magistrate for judicial directions under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The relevant case must also be forwarded to the police surgeon for the constitution of a post-mortem examination team.

The order makes it mandatory for the DOA medico-legal certificate to contain comprehensive details of the incident and the condition of the body.

These include the presence of rigor mortis, the condition and severity of post-mortem bruising, details of the deceased's clothing and the total number of injuries found on the body.

It further clarifies that the medico-legal officer will not determine the nature of the injuries.

The police officer accompanying the body to the hospital will also be required to provide his or her signature and identification particulars, which must be incorporated into the medico-legal certificate.