GUJRANWALA, March 19: A theft accused was allegedly tortured to death by police in Jandiala Baghwal post during investigation on Monday. However, police claimed that he committed suicide.

Yaqoob, 27 was booked by Gujranwala Saddar police for stealing a buffalo along with three accomplices. Yaqoob and Sami were arrested and shifted to Jandiyala Baghwal post for interrogation.

Sami who was also brought to the DHQ hospital by police for medical examination said they were tortured due to which Yaqoob died.

When contacted, Saddar police station SHO Inspector Rizwan Manzoor said Yaqoob and Sami were caught by the complainants themselves and they kept them in their custody for two days. Later, they handed them over to police.

The SHO said both the accused were in lock-up. At about 12:30am Sami went to sleep and Yaqoob hanged himself with a cloth tied to the girder of the barrack. Sami called the police who took Yaqoob to a clinic of a private doctor at Chicharwali and later to the DHQ hospital due to his serious condition where he died.