Axed to death: Police reject blasphemy angle in Gujrat murder

GUJRAT:

Gujrat police have rejected the blasphemy angle in the murder of a man killed in police custody on Wednesday night.

District Police Officer Rai Ejaz told Daily Express that the deceased, as reported in the media, was not a Shia cleric. “It was not a religious matter.”

ASI Syed Faraz Naveed arrested Syed Tufail Haider, 50, on Wednesday night for brawling with and injuring two men and Haider was brought to the Civil Lines police station.

According to personnel at the police station, when ASI Naveed began interrogation, Haider hurled abusive language at everyone present. An official said, “ASI Naveed, in a fit of rage, grabbed an axe and struck Haider on the neck several times, killing him on the spot.” Soon after, Naveed was arrested and booked for premeditated murder under Section 302.

The now suspended Civil Lines SHO Malik Amir said Haider arrived in Madina Syedan in Gujrat, from Jhang on the first day of Muharram. He was arrested for brawling at Jail Chowk on Wednesday night.

“When Haider was brought to the police station he used abusive language for everyone present,” Amir said.

Later in the night, when ASI Naveed started interrogating the victim, he used foul language again. He said ASI Naveed grabbed an axe and decapitated Haider and then surrendered silently.

Initial investigation had revealed that Haider was not mentally stable and had spent time at the Lahore Psychiatric Hospital, Amir said.

The Gujrat district police chief told The Express Tribune that the responsibility of the custodial murder lay with the entire staff of the police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2014.