ISLAMABAD: A murder case has been registered against four officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) after a teenage boy died in their custody.

The deceased was identified as Hassan, 15, a resident of Zia Colony in Rawalpindi.

Family, relatives and neighbours of the victim staged a protest on I.J. Principal Road and blocked traffic for hours. The protesters demanded justice for the victim and strict action against those involved in his killing.

They also demanded registration of a case against the officials and an independent inquiry to establish the facts.

Initially the police said he was detained in connection with an attack and killing of two policemen in the limits of Shams Colony but later claimed that he was taken into custody on suspicion of murdering a policeman and injuring two others in G-13.

Sources in the police told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the boy was picked up by a team of the investigation wing over suspicion.

Family, relatives block IJP Road demanding independent probe into murder

He remained in the custody of the CIA where he was interrogated by an ASI and other officials.

A policeman was murdered and two others were injured in an attack in G-13 on March 7. In another attack on June 3, two policemen were martyred in Shams Colony.

The CIA staff interrogated the boy for three days and after finding him innocent, released him, the sources said. The ASI and other staff also visited the boy’s home and told his mother that he was innocent.

Senior police officers were also informed about the innocence of the boy.

However, about three days ago, the boy and his mother were called to the CIA Centre where the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) took them into custody and whisked them away. The following day, the CTD officials released the mother.

The boy was interrogated for three days at the CTD building in Bhara Kahu, however, on Friday, his condition deteriorated and he suffered from high fever.

According to sources, after some hours, the officials brought a doctor to the CTD lockup who gave him first aid for a head injury. The doctor advised the CTD staff to immediately shift him to a hospital as his life was in danger but they ignored the medical advice, they added.

Later, the boy died in the lockup, the sources said, adding that another doctor was brought there who declared him dead.

On the demand of the family, a case was registered against the station house officer of the CTD police station, the investigation officer and two constables of Bhara Kahu police station under section 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab).

But when the family and other people held protest, the officers of the police and district administration reached there and agreed to replace section 332 with section 302 (murder) in the FIR.

The additional deputy commissioner Islamabad (general) assured the protesters that a judicial inquiry would be ordered to probe the incident and establish the facts.

When contacted, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Afzal Ahmed Kausar told Dawn that the investigation into the killing of the boy will be done purely on merit.

“We will make sure that justice is done in this case,” he added.

He said the SSP investigation had also been asked to conduct an inquiry to establish the facts.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021