HARIPUR, Aug 22: The district leadership of JUI-F has demanded suspension of the District Police Officer and the SHO Khanpur PS for their alleged involvement in custodial killing of an accused in a murder case.

Saleem Ghazi, an accused in a murder case, was allegedly tortured to death by Khanpur police on Saturday night. The police, however, declared that the deceased had committed suicide by slashing the artery near his neck.

Speaking to a gathering near Ayub Park Haripur Pir Syed Alamzeb Shah and Syed Qavi Ullah Shah, leaders of the district chapter of JUI, termed the death of Saleem a murder in custody and said that the police was subjecting under custody accused to third degree method which resulted in their death. They also reminded the gathering of custodial killing of another accused in the same police station last year.

While condemning the killing, they demanded suspension of the DPO and the SHO Khanpur police station and initiation of a judicial probe into the incident.

They also demanded re elections in union councils Rehana and Najaf Pur where two JUI-F backed candidates lost to their rivals.

They accused the rival candidates of rigging at certain polling stations of two UCs.