JHANG, May 30: A 20-year-old youth was found dead in the lock-up of the Kotwali police station here early Sunday morning. The police claimed that Israr Shah died due to cardiac arrest
, but deceased's relatives described the death as to the result of a severe torture by the police.
Talking to Dawn at the local DHQ Hospital, where the body was lying for autopsy, a close relative said that Israr was arrested by the Sadar police on May 25. He said the deceased was held in a brawl case which had occurred over a land dispute in Bhojowana village, where the deceased resided.
A cross version was also registered against the opponent party on the complaint of Riaz Shah, the father of the deceased. The deceased was produced before court on May 28 along with four other co-accused, who were sent to Jhang district jail on judicial remand.
But the police had obtained a three-day physical remand of the deceased to recover sticks used in the fight. Since there is no lock-up in the Jhang Sadar police station, the deceased was kept in the lock up of Kotwali police station.
The relative said that they were informed at about 4am that Israr Shah had died due to cardiac arrest in the police lock-up. The relative, who was later identified as Baqir Shah, the elder brother of the deceased, arrived at the Kotwali police station along with other relatives to collect the body. They found that the body bore torture marks.
At this, they lodged a complaint with the local district and sessions judge for a judicial inquiry, who deputed two civil judges - Akhtar Husain and Zulfiqar Ali Gondal - to probe into the matter.
The judges reached the Kotwali police station and started taking statements of jail inmates. They also quizzed the policemen of two police stations and other people concerned. They also ordered the autopsy on the body, which had not been carried out till the filing of this report.
Baqir Shah claimed that his brother was in excellent health and had no complaint of any disease. He said that there was no need to take his physical remand to recover only sticks.
He alleged that the investigating officer had been bribed by the complainant party to subject deceased to severe torture. Denying allegations against him, the Sadar SHO asserted that the Israr was not subjected to torture and insisted that he died due to heart failure.
