Post-mortem report of man who died from alleged Lahore police brutality confirms torture marks

Published September 8, 2019
Amir Masih died after being detained in an alleged police torture cell in Lahore. — Photo courtesy author
Amir Masih died after being detained in an alleged police torture cell in Lahore. — Photo courtesy author

A post-mortem report of Amir Masih — a gardener who died after being illegally detained in an alleged police torture cell in Lahore — showed that there were torture marks on various parts of his body, it emerged on Sunday.

Earlier six police officers, including a sub-inspector, were nominated in a criminal case for the alleged torture of Amir.

As per the post-mortem report, torture marks were visible on Amir's hands, feet, back and arms. His ribs were also broken.

According to a first information report (FIR) lodged on the complaint of the victim's brother, Amir — who worked as a gardener in Lahore's P.F. Colony — was summoned at North Cantt police station by Sub-Inspector Zeeshan on August 28. He was then taken to an unknown location, where he was subjected to torture.

According to the victim's brother, Amir had been called by Zeeshan in connivance with a civilian, Rana Mohammad Hanif, who has also been nominated in the FIR.

Meanwhile, Amir's family approached the police station after they were told that Zeeshan had called the deceased, but could not meet the sub-inspector. On September 2, Zeeshan and two unidentified officers handed over Amir, who was suffering from serious injuries, to his family. He was taken to the Services Hospital, where he passed away, the FIR stated.

Read: Major embarrassment for police after custodial deaths in Punjab

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Arif Nawaz Khan had also taken notice of the incident and ordered that a case be registered against SI Zeeshan, Investigation Officer Nasir Baig and four other officers and had asked for a detailed report to be submitted within a day.

This is the third such case that has come to light during the same week. On September 1, Salahuddin Ayubi, a man who was said to be mentally disabled, had died in police custody in Rahim Yar Khan. On the same day, a middle-aged man had passed away in Lahore after allegedly being tortured by Gujjarpura police in an illegal torture cell that was unearthed last month.

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