Custodial death: 11 policemen charged with torture, killing

The autopsy report reveals the deceased was given electric shocks and burnt.

MULTAN:

The Vehari district police officer (DPO) on Monday dismissed 11 police officials from service for their involvement in the custodial torture of a murder suspect that resulted in his death.

DPO Sadiq Ali Dogar said Shahid Mehmood, 17, and Muhammad Nadeem, were arrested from 94/WB, Vehari on charges of kidnapping and killing a seven-year-old boy on October 14, 2013.

On October 16, he said Mehmood’s family filed a complaint accusing the policemen, including six Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) officials, of torturing Mehmood.

He said a police investigation had revealed that Mehmood was taken to the house of a landlord, Bholi Gujjar, by the policemen where he was tortured. He was later taken to district headquarters hospital in Vehari where he succumbed to his injuries.

The DPO said the autopsy report had revealed that the man died from severe torture. It said he had been given electric shocks and burnt. Holes had also been drilled into his body. The officials found involved have been identified as:  Sub-Inspector Zafar Ali, Sub-Inspector Zafar sahoo, Assistant Sub-Inspector Mukhtar Gujjar, Assistant Sub- Inspector Rauf Gujjar, Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ismail, Constable Rao Irshad, Constable Iftikhar, Constable Akmal, Constable Mustafa Laggar, Constable Rana Waqas and Constable Ata Muhammad.

“We have arrested ASI Mukhatar Gujjar and ASI Rauf Gujjar… the rest will be arrested soon,” Dogar said.

He said Muhammad Nadeem also arrested for kidnap and murder had been released.

Earlier on Monday, Mehmood’s family and relatives protested in front of the DPO’s office and demanded strict action against those found involved in killing Mehmood.  The mother of the deceased, Zareen Akhtar, said police had not arrested Gujjar. She said that she would burn herself if police did not act.

She said her family had been receiving death threats and were being pressured to drop their complaint.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2013.