Police custody: Man tortured to death during interrogation

Police thought he could lead them to kidnapper.

MULTAN:

An autopsy report from Nishtar Hospital on Friday confirmed that a man who had been taken into police custody for interrogation on Wednesday was tortured to death.

The autopsy report said there were signs of torture all over the man’s body, including his genitals.

Javaid Azhar, 22, had been taken into custody for interrogation regarding the kidnapping and murder of Tariq Hassan, a 7-year old child, resident of Tariq Abad.

Hassan had been missing since last Saturday.

An FIR was registered at Bahaudin Zakariya police station on Monday. Hassan’s body was found dead on Wednesday.

Police took Azhar into custody on Wednesday believing apparently that he could lead them to the kidnappers.

On Thursday, they handed Javaid Azhar’s body over to his family saying that he had had a cardiac arrest.

Azhar’s family demanded that the policemen responsible for Azhar’s death be hanged.



City Police Officer Muhammad Shoaib assured the family that strict action would be taken if the autopsy results established that Azhar had been tortured.

He also directed the station house officer to register an FIR against the Bahaudin Zakariya superintendent, assistant superintendent and investigation officers.

The police arrested Assistant Superintendent  Muhammad Ahmad Nawaz. Station House Officer Mian Irshadul Hassan told The Express Tribune that the investigation was underway.

Four policemen have been accused of torturing Azhar. Three of them have not been arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2013.