LARKANA, Jan 25: A theft accused was admitted to Chandka Medical College Hospital on Thursday with a sharp cut on the sensitive part of his body. He says that the cut was a result of police torture in custody but the police say that the cut was caused by himself during an attempt to commit suicide.

Huzoor Bakhsh Malik, a cook at a local hotel, told newsmen in the casualty department of the CMCH that the police had arrested him four days ago from Shahi Bazaar and since then kept torturing him to force him to pay bribe.

He accused Market police SHO Khan Mohammad Tunio and two unidentified policemen of causing the cut at the police station and added that when he started crying out of pain, he was taken to the hospital.

The SHO, however, contested the allegation and said that the incident occurred when he was on duty with the City ASP.

This correspondent tried to contact the ASP and the district police officer for their version but to no avail.

An ASI lodged an FIR against Mr Malik, stating that he had used a sharp piece of a broken tea cup in the lock-up to commit suicide.