Odd circumstances: Family blames police for woman’s death in Kohat

KOHAT:

Relatives of a drug trafficker launched a protest against the police after the mother of the accused allegedly died of fear when police raided her house on Thursday.

DSP Malik Lal Farid said around 20 people carried the woman’s body and gathered in front of Kohat district courts, chanting slogans against Jungle Khel police SHO Khanullah.

The relatives alleged the SHO and other police officials raided Abideen’s house early on Thursday morning and harassed his mother and other family members. After the officials arrested Abideen on charges of drug trafficking, his mother reportedly died of cardiac arrest brought on by the violence.

Farid said the relatives then took the body and placed it in front of the house of Kohat DPO to demand justice. The DSP added when he negotiated with Abideen’s family they insisted the drug peddler, from whom one kilogramme of hashish was recovered, be released and an inquiry be conducted against the SHO.

DSP Farid added he agreed to the family’s demands and promised them he would conduct a probe into the matter. However, when the DSP asked the relatives to hand over the body so that the cause of death could be determined through an autopsy, they reportedly took the body and dispersed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2013.