KARACHI, Jan 26: Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi on Wednesday took notice of the death of a young man in custody due to alleged police torture in Mirpurkhas and the consequent violence and called for a report from DPO Altaf Bhatti within three days.

Rauf Siddiqi expressed grief over the death of 24-year-old Abu-Bakar Panhwar and assured the family of the victim and the Panhwar community that strict action would be taken against those found guilty of torture.

The home minister said the function of police was to investigate and not to torture. He said in Islam there was no concept of torture during investigation. It had been derived from the west and to award punishment was the function of courts only.

He directed that the arrested SHO of Satellite Town, Rafiq Siyal, Duty Office SI Zamir Khan, ASI Shabbir Dasti and Constable Mohammed Aslam be kept in lockup till the receipt of the inquiry report. He said no pressure or favour in this case be accepted. - APP