LAYYAH: Another case of alleged police torture in a private cell appeared on Thursday, resulting in suspension of four police officials, including a sub-inspector, from service.

The officials at the police checkpost of Bait Dewan in the riverine area allegedly tortured Sagheer, a worker at a brick kiln at Basti Shadu Khan.

In his complaint, Sagheer’s brother, Muhammad Shakeel, said Sub-Inspector Ahmed Khan and Assistant Sub-Inspector Javaid Akhtar of the checkpost had picked up his two brothers, Sagheer and Murtaza, both workers at a brick kiln at Basti Shadu Khan and shifted them to a private torture cell instead of the lock-up. He alleged that the police had arrested his brothers at the behest of an influential landlord of the area to teach them a lesson as they had confronted him for harassing their sister.

Victim ‘tortured in private cell’ shifted to Nishtar Hospital

Sagheer was allegedly tortured so severely at the torture cell that his condition got critical and he had to be shifted to the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital.

Dr Ziaullah, the medical officer of the DHQ hospital, told Dawn said the patient’s condition was critical and he had been referred to the Nishtar Hospital, Multan. He said besides torture, the patient was suffering from trauma and stress too as he was constantly wetting the bed.

ASI Javaid Akhtar while talking to this scribe denied the allegations of torture, saying the police had received a wireless message during patrol that two robbers had snatched a mobile phone and cash from a resident of the area. “We responded to the call, rushed to the area and arrested both the robbers, Sagheer and Murtaza. We boarded them in the police van and were shifting them to the checkpost when both of them jumped off the moving van. We chase them and apprehended Sagheer while Murtaza managed to escape,” he said.

Saddar Police Station House Officer Tariq Chaudhry said Sagheer was injured as he jumped off the van and we shifted him to hospital immediately.

“There is no question of police torture as Sagheer was not even brought to checkpost when he got injured.”

District Police Officer Usman Ijaz said the matter was in his notice and he himself would inquire into it.

He later suspended four police officials, including Sub-Inspector Ahmed Khan, Assistant Sub-Inspector Javaid Akhtar, Constable Muhammad Ameen and driver Constable Muhammad Naeem, from service for being involved in the case.

The police had not yet registered a case against the police officials on complaint of Shakeel when this report was filed.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2019