Mystery ‘murder’: Death in police custody blamed on torture

10 arrested after protesters attack police station.

LAHORE:

A man arrested by police on Friday night on drug peddling charges died in custody on Saturday morning.

The family of 35-year-old Allah Rakha alias Mithu accused police of torturing him to death.

Hundreds of protesters, including Mithu’s relatives, staged a protest demonstration in front of Green Town police station. They pelted policemen with bricks and tried to forcibly enter the police station.

Additional police were called to stop them. Police later arrested 10 of the protesters and registered an FIR against them.

The protesters called off the demonstration following the arrests.

Mithu’s brother said he was innocent.

“Nothing was recovered from him when police arrested him on Friday night. They have tortured him to death during the interrogation,” he told The Express Tribune.



“We request the chief minister to take notice of the incident. The government should also look after the family.”

Another relative of the deceased demanded that police register an FIR against SHO Muhammad Sharif Sindhu.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered Operations DIG Haider Ashraf to submit a report on the incident.

Ashraf said an FIR had been registered against investigation officer Rauf and three constables, including Kashif. He said police would take further action in light of a medical report.

The DIG said he had written to the capital city police officer (CCPO) requesting him to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident.

CCPO Captain (r) Amin Wains said he was waiting for the autopsy report.

“We will take action against the accused police officials if they are found guilty,” he said.

Saddar SP Ijaz Shafi Dogar said the body had been sent to Munshi Hospital for an autopsy.

Rauf did not attend the call despite repeated attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2014.