In custody: ‘Torture’ victim sent on judicial remand

HARIPUR:

A man allegedly tortured and poisoned during police custody was sent to Central Prison Haripur on judicial remand, police said on Tuesday. He was charged with stealing a motorbike on November 6 and being a member of a carjacking ring.

Police claim to have arrested Khurram Shehzad on November 27 and blamed him for attempting suicide during custody to avoid prosecution.

On the other hand, speaking to the media at District Headquarters Teaching Hospital, 22-year-old Shehzad alleged Haripur city police wants to slap a baseless theft case on him. The motorbike was stolen from Bilal Masjid on November 6. “I was attending the chehlum of my grandfather and am not a part of any ring of carjackers,” he claimed.

A resident of Dara Khanpur, Shehzad claimed to have obtained bail before arrest on November 26 after over ten notables from his village submitted affidavits with SP investigation confirming his presence at the chehlum when the incident occurred.

However, on the directives of SP investigation, Shehzad was handed over to City police Inspector Abrar who brought him in for questioning. Upon reaching the police station, Shehzad was reportedly thrashed with clubs for over an hour. “They beat me mercilessly and forced me to confess the crime,” he said.

Shehzad added following his refusal, he was blindfolded and taken to Kot Najibullah police station. He said that on the morning of November 27, SHO Chenzeb Khan along with other officials forced him to confess the crime and tortured him.

Shehzad claimed that poison was forced down his throat and he experienced excruciating pain in the stomach after. “I passed out and found myself in the ICU of Ayub Medical Complex (AMC), Abbottabad when I regained consciousness,” he added.

Shahzad accused the medical staff at AMC of discharging him before adequate treatment at the behest of the police.

He was then brought to District Headquarters and Teaching Hospital in Haripur. He said that the police wanted to terminate him after he refused to cooperate.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2014.