Four policemen arrested for torturing a man to death

The victim was detained for failing to produce papers of his new vehicle .

HYDERABAD: Four policemen were arrested by the Nooriabad police for allegedly torturing a man to death at a police post along the Super Highway.

The case was registered after protesters blocked the highway for over seven hours and ransacked an office of the National Highway Authority in Bolari and later set it on fire.

Ghaffar Gabol, a resident of Karachi’s Malir town was detained for not producing the documents of his car according to his brother, Sattar Gabol. “He told them [police] that he had bought a new car and was yet to receive a registration number.”

Sattar, who led the protests, said his brother called him before he was tortured and they assured the police that they will produce the documents. Following the call, he left Malir for Nooriabad but on the way he was told that Ghaffar had fallen unconscious, he added. “By the time I reached the post, I was informed that he died of cardiac arrest.”

Sattar said that the policemen abandoned the post and left his brother’s body behind.

The news of his death elicited a strong response from the Gabol community, which gathered near the police post. The community’s leader, Sardar Qadir Bux Gabol, claimed that Ghaffar’s body had torture marks. “The policemen deputed on the highway are notorious for harassing drivers for bribes. This is not the first incident.”

Nooriabad SHO Ghulam Sarwar Rahupoto said that ASI Ghulam Shabbir Larik and three constables have been arrested under section 302 of the PPC on the orders of SSP Jamshoro. ASI Larik claimed that he detained Ghaffar because he was smuggling ghutka and mainpuri.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.