October 06, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 23, 1428

FAISALABAD, Oct 5: An inmate, who was arrested by the capital territory police after the Aabpara market blast in July, was found dead in Central Jail here, sources told Dawn on Friday.

Nasir Mehmood of Murree was shifted here from Adiala Jail a month ago and was incarcerated in a high-security barrack recently constructed to house high-profile criminals. The jail officials found his body hanging with the ceiling fan of his cell after Iftar on Thursday.

Jail Superintendent Malik Mushtaq told Dawn that Nasir committed suicide by hanging himself with the help of his chaddar when officials and prisoners were busy in saying Maghrib prayers.

He denied charges of any torture on Nasir and said his committing suicide was being investigated and judicial magistrate, Kazim Awan, had registered statements of jail staff and prisoners.

Sources said Nasir’s brother Waqar Ahmed earlier refused to receive the body until the cause of his brother’s death was not ascertained, dispelling the impression that he had committed suicide.

However, he received the body later when he was assured that a probe to determine the cause of his brother’s death would be initiated. — Staff Correspondent