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Updated 05 Feb, 2018 12:27pm

4 Rawalpindi police officials suspended over 'torture', death of 19-year-old

A protest over the death of a 19-year-old allegedly in police custody ended after four police personnel were suspended on Monday.

Earlier today, protesters chanting anti-police slogans over the death of Rehan Anees, who was taken into police custody at 10pm on Sunday night, had surrounded Gunjmandi police station in Rawalpindi.

Rehan's brother Kamran told DawnNews that the police, without a search warrant, had forcefully entered their house and taken his brother into custody.

The deceased's brother further claimed that the police tortured Rehan all night and this had led to his death.

He alleged that the police had asked Rehan to pay them a certain sum of money. When he refused, the police tortured him and he died, Kamran claimed, adding that his brother had no criminal record.

The four police personnel, including three police constables and Assistant Sub-inspector Atiq, who had forcefully entered Rehan's house were suspended from duty.

District Superintendent Police Farhan Islam assured protesters that a case will be registered against the police officials if the post-mortem report confirms police torture as the cause of death.

Shortly after the protest ended.

Protests over Rehan's death

Following Rehan's death, residents of the area surrounded Gunjmandi police station and chanted anti-police slogans.

DSP Islam and District Superintendent Police Cant Raja Tefor arrived at the scene shortly after to control the situation. However, the residents demanded the suspension of DSP Islam and Station House Officer Raja Tahir, calling for a case be filed against them.

DSP Tefor told DawnNews that Kamran has requested that a case be filed against those responsible for his brother's death. He has also asked for a post-mortem examination to be conducted so that the cause of death could be ascertained.

Contradicting Kamran's statement regarding his brother's criminal record, DSP Islam told DawnNews that a case was registered against Rehan some time ago at the ANF police station, adding that the 19-year-old had also served jail time.

He said that in Gunjmandi police station, two cases of theft and one regarding possession of illegal weapons were filed against Rehan.

According to him, the police on Sunday night registered a case against Rehan after he was found with five bottles of alcohol.

DSP Islam said that the real cause of death will only come forward after the post-mortem examination.

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