Custodial killing: Post-mortem exam confirms torture

Police inquiry found ASI responsible for death of father of nine.

LAHORE:

A post-mortem examination has confirmed that a man allegedly killed in police custody was tortured.

Hundreds of residents of Nathoke village on the outskirts of Lahore staged a protest at the Lahore Press Club last week after Niamat, 40, a father of nine, allegedly died because of police torture. His family said that he had been in the custody of the Crimes Investigation Agency (CIA).

The post-mortem report noted that there were 13 wounds and bruises on Niamat’s body. A clot that had formed in his pulmonary artery has been sent to a chemical examiner and histopathologist for further examination, after which the coroner will state the cause of death.

Last Monday, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Major (retired) Mubasharullah submitted his inquiry report into the incident to the chief minister. He held Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Shakil Butt of Civil Lines police and other policemen responsible for Niamat’s death.

Muhammad Ramazan, the investigation officer for the case, said that the police had visited Butt’s residence in Badami Bagh and searched for him elsewhere in the city but he had not been found. He said he was confident that Ramazan would be arrested within a few days.

Shortly after the protest that followed Niamat’s death on January 18, Butt had told The Express Tribune over the phone that the 40-year-old had come to the police station for questioning, but that he had then gone home. He had claimed that Niamat was “a hash addict and died for this reason”.

The ASI had also claimed that Niamat was sheltering three proclaimed offenders.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2012.